ANNUAL REPORT 2000-02 ANNUAL REPORT

leaves of important survival trees of india — MAHUA, ALDER, OAK, KHEJDI, PALMYRA Centre for Science and Environment 41, Tughlakabad Institutional Area, New Delhi 110062 Tel: 26081110, 26086399, 26081124, 26083394 Fax: 26085879 Email: [email protected] Website: www.cseindia.org Centre for Science and Environment IBC Cover IFC Cover

Mandate

about changes in the behaviour of human societies through CSE Publications appropriate governance systems,

human-nature interactions, and Making Water Everybody's Business Slow Murder: The Deadly Story of Vehicular Pollution in India the use of science and Hardbound Rs. 890 US $30 Hardbound Rs. 390 US $19 Paperback Rs. 490 US $22 Paperback Rs. 75 US $7 technology. Though the public Fourth Citizens’ Report-1997 (SOE-4) The Challenge of the Balance Dying Wisdom: Rise, Fall and Potential of India’s Environmental Economics in India, Proceedings of the National awareness programmes of the Traditional Water Harvesting Systems Environment and Economics Meeting Hardbound Rs. 590 US $20 Hardbound Rs. 590 US $22 Centre have been its key Paperback Rs. 390 US $14 strength and focus of work, it Hindi Rs. 290 US $12 Natural Resource Links: A Directory of Government departments and institutions dealing with India’s natural resource has endeavoured to move into Tanks of South India Paperback Rs. 490 US $14 associated areas of work like Paperback Rs. 490 US $14 Health Links: A Directory of experts on environmental health policy research and advocacy in A Water Harvesting Manual Paperback Rs. 65 US $5 Case studies from Delhi Rs. 100 US $8 the past years. Learning from Down To Earth Special Issue the people and from the Homicide by Pesticides Paperback Rs. 290 US $10 What pollution does to our bodies (SOE Series-4) innovations of the committed Paperback Rs. 75 US $7 WEALTH OF THE NATION VIDEO / CD SERIES has helped the Centre to spread The Centre for Science and Mileage: Environmental Rating of Indian Automobile Sector Harvest of Rain Environment is a public interest the message regarding the Paperback Rs. 490 US $18 48 mins PAL VHS / VCD Rs. 750 US $25 research and advocacy environment without its normal Environmental Rating of Indian Caustic-Chlorine Sector Thar: Secrets of the Desert 52 mins PAL VHS / VCD Rs.750 US $25 organisation, which promotes association with doom and Paperback Rs. 2999 US $90 environmentally-sound and gloom. Rather, the effort of the Global Environmental Negotiations-I (GEN-I) The Village Republic Centre is to constantly search for Green Politics 50 mins PAL VHS / VCD Rs. 750 US $25 equitable development Paperback Rs. 590 US $31 strategies. The Centre’s work people-based solutions and The Spirits of Forest Global Environmental Negotiations-II (GEN-II) 23 mins PAL VHS / VCD Rs. 750 US $25 over the past 21 years has led it create a climate of hope. Poles Apart The Centre has always Paperback Rs. 690 US $33 Water Works India: Four Engineers and a Manager to believe and argue, both 20 mins PAL VHS / VCD Rs. 750 US $25 nationally and been, and will continue to be, Global Warming in an Unequal World editorially independent of A case of environmental colonialism Rs. 30 US $6 Wrath of Nature (Part: I, II, III) internationally, that 3 x 28 mins PAL VHS / VCD Rs. 750 US $25 participation, equity and interest groups, governments, First Citizens’ Report-1982 (SOE-1) Hardbound Rs. 290 US $12 Life Under Wildlife community-based natural political parties, international Paperback Rs. 190 US $10 23 mins PAL VHS / VCD Rs. 750 US $25 agencies and funding sources. resource management systems Second Citizens’ Report-1984-85 (SOE-2) The Living World alone will lead the nations of the CSE never accepts funding to Hardbound Rs. 490 US $18 32 mins PAL VHS / VCD Rs. 750 US $25 push a donor’s viewpoint. All its Paperback Rs. 290 US $12 world towards a durable peace Arvari River and development. outputs are available for public Third Citizens’ Report-1991 (SOE-3) 14 mins PAL VHS / VCD Rs. 750 US $25 Floods, Floodplains & Environmental Myths As a public interest dissemination. Hardbound Rs. 290 US $12 Bandits and Backhanders 23 mins PAL VHS / VCD Rs. 750 US $25 organisation, the Centre sup- Paperback Rs. 190 US $10 ports and organises information Fifth Citizens' Report-1999 (SOE-5) Smog Inc. Part I: National Overview Part II: Statistical Database 26 mins PAL VHS / VCD Rs. 750 US $25 flow in a way that the better Hardbound Rs. 1590 US $59 organised sections of the world Paperback Rs. 590 US $33 get to hear the problems and perspectives of the less Note: Please add Rs 50/- as courier charges on orders of video cassettes/CDs within India and US $ 25 for foreign orders. We have more than 150 other video organised. Environmental issues cassettes on the environment. Please contact or write to us for details. are seen in an anthropocentric Rates given above are subject to revision periodically. Publication rates include postage and delivery charges by registered post. For outstation/non Delhi cheques add Rs 50/- as bank charges. You may visit our website at www.cseindia.org. perspective that seeks to bring Page No. 1

Contents

OVERVIEW

Anil Agarwal … … … … … … … …2-13

From the Director … … … … … … …14

Perspectives … … … … … … … … … …15

INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT

A framework for change … … … …16-17

PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS

Pushing for solutions … … … … …18-37

Green messenger … … … … … …38-43

Building capacities in society … …44-47

Green treasure trove … … … … …48-49

Lending a helping hand … … … …50-51

Quote, unquote … … … … … … …52-53

Events … … … … … … … … … …54-55

In print … … … … … … … … …56-59

RESOURCES

Financial overview … … … … …60-61

CSE’s executive board … … … … … …62

Award … … … … … … … … … … …63

Who’s who at CSE … … … … … … … 64 “I have never been worried about the Earth.

I’m worried about human beings. I was trying

to understand what India is all about, what

India’s people are all about. And that is how

I stumbled upon the Earth. I realised that they

have a deep relationship with the Earth, and

that is why Earth became important to me.”

2 Annual Report 2000–2002 ANIL AGARWAL• 1947~2002

n January 2, 2002, Anil Agarwal philosophy. He saw in the movement the Gandhiji was an ordinary passed away after a long and painful spirit of non-violent protest, the spirit of caring battle against cancer. He left all of us and sharing, and the spirit of self-reliance, O man, but exemplified at CSE orphaned, but left us with little time to among many other things espoused by mourn him. And he left behind the huge Gandhi. He acknowledged his debt when he responsibility of walking in his footsteps to delivered the 1987 Gandhi Peace Foundation three qualities — anger, fulfil the mandate he had chalked out for lecture: “In many ways, Gandhiji has been my CSE. But he also left us the means to carry out guru in helping me to understand my country perseverance and the tasks he had set for us — a rich legacy of and my people.” his thoughts, ideals, passion, commitment, At this point, Anil also read Gunnar strength and anger. As we look back on what Myrdal, who had just published his volumi- humility. I have tried to he was, and what he meant to all of us here, nous work, the Asian Drama. Anil met Myrdal we also look forward in hope and confidence at the Stockholm Conference on the Human live by Gandhiji's that we will fight the battles that he had Environment in 1972, when he was just fought, and we have the determination to win beginning his journalistic career. Myrdal said principles, but these these battles. to Anil: “Books are like time bombs. If the ideas contained in them are of value, they Early influences will explode one day. And if they don’t, they are very tough things will be consigned to the dustbin of history.” "For me, understanding the subject of These words stayed with Anil throughout his to live by and I have a environment has been a long journey life and moved him to produce the State of into an understanding of my own culture. India’s Environment series, books that I wanted to search for and understand my profoundly influenced Indian developmental long way to go India. It was a very internal drive which policies. Business India listed The State of became a life-long passion." India’s Environment: The Second Citizens’ Report (1984-85) as one of the 15 most Anil Agarwal graduated as a mechanical influential books of the post-Independence engineer from the Indian Institute of period in India. Technology, Kanpur, in 1970. He grew up Later, when Anil became impatient for within the ambience of that great idea of the results, he used the same idea to develop his modern world: the idea of science and knowledge-based advocacy. His successful technology. Towards the end of his formal campaigns on clean air for Delhi, and education, he began to wonder how he was empowering people to manage their water going to put to use all what he had learnt at resources, were borne out of his ingenious this prestigious institute in order to solve the idea of shortening the fuse of literary time problems of his country. Realising how little bombs, so that they would explode sooner he knew of India or of its problems, he and lead to action. decided that he first needed to explore and Myrdal also said to him, “You have the learn what the country was all about. He read biggest strength in your country — it is a many books in an effort to understand India democracy. If you think there is something and its problems, those by Mahatma Gandhi that you want to change, you have the power and Gunnar Myrdal, among others. to change it. Democracy allows you to do The uppermost question in his mind that”. Anil took this advice very seriously and was, “how can India best use science and used the power of democracy to drive his technology to meet the needs of its people?” campaigns. He allowed no one to come in his He found the answer in Gandhiji’s writings. way, however powerful. To achieve his aims, He learnt that the nature of science and he reached out to all sections of the society — technology needed by developing countries is the media, concerned citizens, students, civil not the same as prevalent in the West. society institutions, industry, government Gandhiji’s science policies, which advocated officials and politicians. He often described socially appropriate and traditional techno- CSE as, “a product of India’s democracy built logies, were key to solving many of the with 20 years of persistence”. problems of urban India. Another major influence in Anil’s life was Anil’s encounter with the Chipko Barbara Ward, whose passionate speech at movement as a budding journalist once again the Stockholm Conference led him to walk on brought home the relevance of Gandhiji’s the environment path. Her beliefs and works,

Annual Report 2000–2002 3 including the path-breaking book, Only One decided to prevent the contractors from cutting Earth, influenced him profoundly. the trees, even at the risk of their lives, and Anil’s mother moulded him into a single- hugged the trees in face of the lumberjacks. Anil minded and persevering individual who realised that these women hugged the trees not worked hard to achieve his goals. If in later life because they loved them, but because the trees he was universally known for his courage, were their very lives. Their survival depended honesty and commitment to public interest, on their environment. Contrary to popular per- the foundations were laid in his childhood. ception, the poor had even more reason to be And everyone, friend or foe alike, respected concerned about the environment than the rich. him for his character. He was delighted when This understanding of the relationship he was told by an official in the Ministry of between the poor and their environment soon Environment and Forests, “Anil, my people are turned Anil into a lifelong environmentalist. a little wary of you, because you have a Many of his pioneering ideas on the relation- tendency to call a spade a spade”. Anil often ship between environment and development, recalled his mother’s words to him as a child, environment and poverty and the need to “If you want to do something, never to do it empower communities took root here. Moved behind my back.” He lived out these words in by his experience with the Chipkomovement, his later life, and in his work. He said of Anil dedicated his life to promoting the himself, “I don’t hide anything, whether some- importance of the Gross Nature Product in thing is bothering me, troubling me, or if I like alleviating poverty, instead of the Gross something you are doing, I would be full of National Product that governments do so praise for it.” This trait in him won him many much to enhance. This encounter also led to friends, who respected and loved him for it. his long association with Chandi Prasad Bhatt, the leader of the Chipko Andolan. If North Block disappears The beginning of the journey Reaching out to the citizens of India: The "We come out of Presidency College or Centre for Science and Environment overnight from the face St Stephen’s or IIT Kanpur and think we know everything there is to know. "Science and environment are possibly the of this earth, it will mean Whereas we know nothing." two greatest ideas of the 20th century. One has brought immense power to When he graduated from IIT-Kanpur, Anil’s create unprecedented wealth. The other absolutely nothing for primary interest was to use his skills and has made human beings realise that knowledge in science and technology to do wealth creation, or development, as it is these poor people. The something for his country. He felt that journal- often called, can also be self-destructive. ism offered him a means of travelling across Therefore, the urgent need to reconcile North Block is where the India, meeting people and understanding environment with development." India in its myriad social, cultural, economic and environmental diversities. Rather than In the late seventies Anil spent three years Ministry of Finance is pursuing engineering, Anil joined Hindustan in England working on an environmental Times as a science correspondent. information project at the International Institute located, which is very Early on in his journalistic career, for Environment and Development. He Virendra Kumar, an expert botanist who had returned to India with the idea of setting up an been working in the region of the Valley of institution that would work on topical issues busy measuring how Flowers, told Anil about a fascinating protest of sustainable development, looking at the in Reni, a remote Himalayan village. The linkages between science, technology, and much increase there has village women had protected the trees against environment. The institution he visualised logging by hugging them, sending the govern- would create public consciousness on the need been in the Gross ment and logging interests the message that for sustainable development, and influence the forest could only be logged over their public policies. dead bodies. Although these events had Anil was very clear, from the very begin- National Product or not. occurred almost a year before, no one had ning, that it was the educated class that needed heard or written about this unique form of to be educated about sustainable development. But if the local forest protest in the English media. Anil’s editor, B He would become very angry when he heard G Verghese immediately encouraged him to anyone saying that the poor needed to be disappears, if the local cover the story. Reporting the now famous educated on conserving the environment. His Chipko Movement. This was a great awaken- Chipko experience had taught him that the ing for Anil and changed him deeply. poor will protect their environment simply wells disappear, if the The government of Uttar Pradesh had because they are dependent on it for their very decided to auction the forests near Chamoli in survival. He also believed that the initiative local springs disappear, the Himalaya to private timber contractors. The for good environmental management must people of that region were dependent on the come from the ordinary citizen. He therefore forests for most of their needs. Women, espe- wrote to be read and understood by the the people get into very cially, were closely linked to the forest average literate and educated person, to resources for water, fodder, fuelwood and other create public consciousness about environ- deep trouble needs. Angered by this government move, they ment and sustainable development.

4 Annual Report 2000–2002 The State of India’s Environment reports still remembered for her oft-quoted statement, “Poverty is the biggest polluter”. "Sustainable development will never be The SOE reports got extensive media possible unless we know more about the coverage, both at home and internationally. true nature of relationships between They were reviewed by The Economist, The changing nature and changing society. New Scientist, the Asahi Shimbun, Le Monde, The most interesting thing about these and The Guardian, among many others. They reports is the information they provide on inspired many similar reports, both in India these linkages." and abroad, and influenced political action within several developing countries. Fred One of the first tasks that the Centre for Science Pearce, reviewing these two books in New and Environment undertook was publishing Scientist said, “Reading reports from green the first and second citizens’ reports on the groups describing real or imagined environ- State of India’s Environment (SOE). This was mental perils can be a grind. But for passion the first time a citizen’s report was produced on combined with forensic rigour nothing touches The Chipko movement the state of a country’s environment. These the work of the Delhi-based Centre for reports were not about the declining numbers Science and Environment, inspired by its of tigers or about forestry programmes, but founder and director Anil Agarwal”. summoned our attention about how environmental change impacted on During the making of these two reports, the lives of the people. The SOE reports Anil closely interacted with numerous and energies and showed painted an accurate picture of the extent of voluntary groups working at the grassroots in environmental degradation and how this the country. In fact, the SOE reports were us how the poor relate to mirrored the human misery of India. deliberately termed ‘citizens’ reports’, which The SOE reports highlighted the impor- implied collaboration with a wide spectrum tance of the environment to a poor country of individuals, voluntary organisations, the issue of environment. because of the extreme dependence that the grassroots activists and others. These groups country’s poor have on their local natural had diverse interests within India and abroad In many ways, the resources. In other words, if a country focuses also helped sell these reports and spread the only on its Gross National Product and in the message. In the process of collaborating on Chipko movement gave a process destroys its Gross Nature Product, the SOE reports, they soon realised that it will only lead to more poverty, loss of conflicts in the developmental processes are livelihoods and greater unemployment. in fact conflicts for control over natural voice to many of us Therefore, protecting the environment is not a resources. The SOE reports were thus able to luxury meant only for rich countries like embed environmental concern within belonging to the first America, but rather a necessity for poor coun- the larger development and social justice tries like India. This went directly against the dimensions. This, over time, encouraged prevailing political opinion that stated that many movements against deforestation, generation of Indian economic development alone is the solution destructive mining, and construction of large to environmental problems. Mrs Gandhi is dams, among other civil society initiatives. environmentalists

Chamoli, 1985

Annual Report 2000–2002 5 It is the so-called The success of the SOE reports also natural resources are the root cause of changed the nature of CSE’s work. They poverty and environmental distruction. The educated people who resulted in the creation of a network of Indian government had newly created a people interested and committed to change. Ministry of Environment and Forests. Anil was As CSE’s interaction with various groups concerned that its manifesto was not based need environmental grew, so did our consciousness of the impact on a holistic understanding of the relationship of environmental destruction on the lives between environment and development. The education more than of the poor and the inter-relationships environmental consciousness that he helped between environment, economy and society. create added a third dimension, ‘sustainability’ Slowly, CSE’s activities and focus became to the biggest issues of the day — growth and anyone else. The more centred on the environment, while retaining equity. He posed this question in every forum the scientific dimension of environment as a he addressed, “how can our country get more educated you are today central issue. from our natural resource base and at the In 1986, the arguments contained in same time conserve the natural resources?” in the Third World, the these two State of India’s Environment reports attracted the attention of Prime Minister Rajiv The Gross Nature Product Gandhi. He asked Anil to address his Council more alienated you are of Ministers, and later all the 27 Parliamentary "Poverty, for a majority of the rural poor of the Consultative Committees — an unprecedented world, is defined by the shortage of gesture on the part of an Indian Prime Minister biomass resources to meet basic needs — because he felt that his ministerial like food, fuel, fodder, manure etc; in colleagues did not understand the importance other words, the Gross Nature Product" of integrating environment with developmental concerns. At the end of these lectures, Rajiv In his travels across India, Anil examined Gandhi told Anil, “My government is spend- grassroots experiences in villages, from ing thousands of crores of rupees every Pondicherry to Ladakh, Gujarat to Nagaland. year on flood and drought relief. I believe if These experiences confirmed to him that the the money went in good environment rural poor depend largely on biomass for their and natural resource management it would survival. Whether it is food, fuel (cowdung, help us deal with future floods and droughts timber or crop residues), building materials better. Can you explain this to the members (timber, thatch), medicinal herbs, or fertilisers of parliament?” like leaf litter, the environment provides the Anil sent this request on a journey poor with all their survival needs. When the across the country, gathering information on environment degrades, and the Gross Nature the relationship between floods and droughts. Product shrinks, economic and social poverty He eventually gave the lecture to the rears its head. Anil believed the biggest Parliamentarians but continued work on challenge that faces India’s policymakers is understanding the nature of environmental not only to conserve the natural resources, but problems in India, the nature of relationships also to revive degraded lands. Anil concluded between changing nature and changing that the problem of rural poverty in large parts society. of the developing world is not one of economic poverty but of ecological poverty The environment — beyond pretty trees — the poverty of natural resources needed to and tigers build up the rural economy.

Awarded Padma Shri, 1986 "For the poor people in this country who live Learning from tradition with the environment on a daily basis, the environment is something that "Traditional lifestyles in India were based on we have to use and yet use in a very its extraordinary diversity of ecological sustainable manner. And, therefore, the systems and were inspired by sustainable concept of ‘utilitarian conservationism’ use of the natural resource base" and not the ‘protectionist conserva- tionism’ becomes very important" During this period, Anil also discovered the extraordinary ecological diversity in the In the early eighties, Anil travelled extensively country. He was amazed to see how the to different parts of the country, to look at how people of India had developed diverse people live in and manage their diverse systems to manage their diverse environments environments. As early as the mid-80s, he was – from the arid deserts of Rajasthan to the wet already crafting a conceptual framework to Northeast to the cold Himalayan regions — bring about growth, equity and sustainability, that produced the unique culture of each based on his learning from his travels and his region. He was astonished to discover interaction with people across the country. how centuries ago, people had developed These very concepts are today celebrated as economic systems and lifestyles that make ‘sustainable development’. He constantly best use of their natural resources. pointed out that paradigms of development, The people of Rajasthan had developed a which create production systems that destroy nomadic lifestyle and animal care-based

6 Annual Report 2000–2002 occupations to suit their fragile land; the people of Mizoram had developed shifting cultivation because they had to live on the slopes; and those living in the floodplains of central India developed agrarian economies. These traditional systems, whether in land use, water use, agriculture or health care, became entwined with the cultural systems and were passed down the generations as cultural and traditional knowledge. He developed a deep sense of respect for the traditional knowledge of the people which, he found was ingenious and innovative in making the best of the natural ecosystem in the gentlest and the most sustainable ways. He constantly advocated not only respect for this knowledge but also commercial rewards for the use made of it in the modern world.

Ecosystem-specific development Dehradun, 1997 Interacting closely with the villagers of "High productivity on a sustainable basis is Sukhomajri, Ralegan Siddhi, Knonoma, Seed possible only by observing the laws and other villages, Anil learnt that people of nature, not by contravening them. view their natural resource base as an In other words, we have to develop integrated system and, from this learning ecosystem-specific development plans" introduced the concept of the ‘village ecosystem’. Anil found that the Indian village As Anil learnt more about how traditional is actually a complex and integrated systems had managed natural resources ecosystem consisting of croplands, by building on the unique strengths of grazing lands and forest lands, surface and each ecosystem, he began to understand groundwater, the energy system and the that need for ecosystem-specific development livestock system. All these components paradigms. Anil realised that a centralised interact with each other to maintain the and uniform planning methodology for delicately balanced village ecosystem. The most sophisticated plateaus, hill ranges, riverine deltas and Therefore, the first step in planning for other ecosystems of India that ignored sustainable development has to start from the decision-making will their diversity and uniqueness, would not village and has to be for each village. work. He pushed for ecosystem-specific Implementing village-level planning development, a development paradigm that is requires a lot of discipline — discipline to begin only when village uniquely tailored to each ecosystem to ensure that animals do not graze in protected increase India’s biomass. commons; that catchments are not polluted people will start sitting The third citizens’ report on the State of and properly maintained; that the resources India’s Environment, Floods, Floodplains and products are equitably shared and and Environmental Myths, published in 1991 distributed. Anil understood therefore that the under banyan trees as a focussed on the vast Indo-Gangetic Plains management of natural resources in villages is ecosystem. SOE-3 studied the ecology of not possible without the willing and active group to discuss their the world’s most flood-prone plains, and involvement of the villagers, and therefore raised questions about the specific nature of any ecological management system for the problems and find sustainable development needed for India’s villagers must be participatory. most economically and environmentally Anil put down these concepts in 1989 in degraded regions. Anil questioned the a publication titled, Towards Green Villages: common solutions. scientific basis of the prevailing assumptions A macro-strategy for participatory and of the linkages between deforestation and environmentally-sound rural development. Only such decentralised floods. He instead proposed that ecological Based on Anil’s travels and his learning changes in the floodplains, and not environ- from people’s initiatives, the book was an ment degradation upstream, were the key effort to conceive a macro-strategy for decision-making can cause of the growing flood menace. environmentally-sound rural development. It was a landmark publication that, for the first match the enormous Village ecosystem planning time, presented an operational framework for sustainable development. The book was ecological and "Indian villages are highly integrated translated into many regional languages and agrisylvopastoral systems and what used by grassroots groups across the country India desperately needs today is the and has helped Indian decision-makers to cultural diversity of holistic enrichment of each of its village understand the importance of involving ecosystems." people in natural resource management. Indian villages

Annual Report 2000–2002 7 Women and environment GDP in just about 10-15 years. At the same time, a World Bank study found that even as "Rural women are most affected by environ- Thailand doubled its GDP, its pollution load, mental destruction in India and therefore, which is a total amount of toxins that it women are most willing to participate in produced and released into the environment environmental regeneration efforts." from industries, had multiplied ten times. The success of the Clean Air campaign Anil was one of the first to document the in Delhi gave Anil the confidence that adverse impact of environmental destruction the problem of urban pollution can be met on the lives of poor, rural women in develop- by harnessing science and technology ing countries. His paper on environment and wisely. This campaign was a model to women, published as a chapter of the second show that public pressure can bring about citizens’ report on the State of India’s policy change. Vietnam, 1996 Environment, (SOE-2) received media Anil used the experience of the Clean Air attention worldwide, especially in feminist, Campaign to fashion strategies to counter NGO and academic circles. During his urban environmental problems. Firstly, civil travels, he found that in the vast majority society organisations must improve their of rural households, the women usually skills and competence in science and ventured out to collect fuel, water or fodder. technology to break through the conspiracy of Therefore, environmental degradation causes silence hatched by vested interests like the a disproportionate share of the burden to fall industry, the government and the scientific on the shoulders of village women who have establishments. Secondly, they must push not to walk longer distances to collect daily only for technologies to leapfrog to advanced essentials. This is hard on the village women non-polluting systems, but also for small scale who are expected to also perform a variety of decentralised, and traditional technologies other activities including cooking, caring for that are attuned the local culture. But most of the livestock and working in the fields. Anil all, civil society institutions must constantly therefore found the women to be more fight for improved governance to ensure interested in nurturing the environment. accountability and transparency in dealing While Gandhiji had said, “Think of the last with environmental problems. man”, when asked who we should keep in mind when we plan, Anil argued, “the last Science, technology and environment man is invariably a woman, and therefore, think of the last person”. "If as Gandhiji said, India lives in its villages, something will have to be done about Urban environmental problems promoting development right in the villages. This poses the greatest challenge "Urban development in the developing to India’s scientifically and technically world is a total copy of the Western trained people – the proud legacy of technological paradigm. But the Western Nehru’s India." technological model is an inherently toxic model because of its extraordinary Anil was an environmentalist who never material and energy-intensity." strayed from his science and technology moorings. The first thing he wanted to find out Every Indian wants to Anil became aware of the urgent and critical after his graduation as a mechanical engineer state of the urban environment when he was how to harness his skills and knowledge live like an American. started work on air pollution issues in Delhi in of science and technology to improve the 1994. Less than a decade before, he had quality of life for the poor people of India. As But few realise that the advised the country’s leaders, in a lecture to a journalist working with the International the members of the Parliament that rural Institute for Environment and Development, environmental problems were among the Anil shared the first A H Boerma Award, Western economic most pressing problems of India. But by 1995, presented by the Food and Agricultural he was alarmed at the speed with which Organisation to journalists for focussing world dream is a highly toxic pollution grows; the air pollution in Delhi had attention on problems of hunger and poverty. made it among the most polluted cities in the Anil’s first task when he established CSE in world. Directing the Campaign on Clean Air 1980 was to begin a feature service on the use dream. America has provided Anil the opportunity to study these of science and technology for development. issues in detail. He found that the globalisa- Within the first two years it produced nearly 650 million cars and tion process resulted in the rapid spread of 200 reports on science and society-related Western pattern of development a highly issues, which were then published in more we have 30 million and toxic pattern that is energy-intensive, capital- than 100 major newspapers, magazines and intensive, resource intensive and extremely voluntary organisations. polluting. Anil often cited the fact that the East Anil was different from many environ- we are choking Asian countries and the Southeast Asian mentalists of his day because he believed countries have achieved a near economic that nature lends itself to deep scientific ourselves to death miracle in which some of them doubled their analysis, and therefore the impact of human

8 Annual Report 2000–2002 intervention in any form, be it agriculture, which absorbed the carbon dioxide and People who have already industry, or the impact of population growth reduced the total emissions, is a global on the environment, must be scientifically resource and thus all citizens of the world created a stock of carbon analysed. This ‘Science for Ecological have equal rights to these resources. The Security’, he believed, was extremely Washington study, on the other hand, had important for the poor countries to constantly arrogated the maximum resources to the dioxide that is causing monitor the impact of technological changes worst polluter. on the environment and then to take quick, This study, Global Warming in an global warming are not remedial, regulatory and technological Unequal World, kicked off CSE’s campaign measures to address the problem. Anil argued for Equal Rights to the Atmosphere. This book that the answer to the 21st century’s myriad generated considerable global debate and being held accountable. environmental problems lay in traditional, had significant impact on the G-77 position in small and decentralised technologies. the negotiations leading up to the Framework We are asked to change Convention on Climate Change. Although In the global environmental arena initially Anil’s concept of equitable sharing of our codes of behaviour atmospheric resources met with a lot of resis- "The 1980s saw several global environmental tance, the idea has gained ground even in the issues come to the fore. But the answers West. Today, the concept of equity has been today for something we found to these issues in the form of accepted and embedded as a benchmark for international treaties have not provided all actions in the climate change convention. might do 40 years later. equitable entitlements to the environ- Anil continued to take very active interest ment or globally valid judicial systems in this issue and called for strategies that that can bring even the most powerful would address issues of ecology, economy, In other words, those nations to book" social justice and equity. He strongly advocated that the world must move from a who have already During the eighties Anil believed that the fossil fuel-based economy to one based environmental problems confronting the on renewable energy and that this can be committed murder are people of India were critical and urgent and done if the market systems make renewable therefore, he focussed his attention and efforts energies competitive with fossil fuels. As this on national environmental issues. His entry requires all countries to cooperate, Anil preaching to us that we into global environmental issues was a believed the framework must be made just, chance coincidence. fair and equitable. should not commit

The climate change campaign Global environmental governance murder 40 years later One night, Anil heard a news item on The Rio meeting and the WRI study catalyzed Doordarshan that claimed India was the fifth Anil’s entry into international environmental largest emitter of carbon dioxide and was a issues. He laid down CSE’s mandate in major contributor to global warming. The this area — to articulate Southern priorities, news item was based on a UN-supported and argue on behalf of the poor and the study by the World Resources Institute (WRI) disempowered in the global arena. in Washington DC. Just before Rio Anil wrote a book, Anil was taken aback to hear this; after Towards a Green World, which argued that Release function all, he had been instrumental in creating a while global environmental governance was of Green Politics, social legitimacy for environmental concern 2000 by arguing environmental degradation affects the poor the most. But here was a theory that the poor of the world were responsible for one of the world’s major environmental problems. He was also outraged at India’s green ministers who endorsed this theory by proposing that the people in India must stop eating rice and keeping cows. Anil studied the Washington report carefully. What he found was that the report was politics masquerading as science. Anil believed that science consists of facts, while allocating responsibility is a matter of politics. He suspected that the developed countries were trying to rope in the developing coun- tries to share part of the blame for global warming that the rich countries had created. Anil took the same mathematical data of emissions, but changed just one assumption that produced dramatically different results. That assumption was that the global sinks,

Annual Report 2000–2002 9 I often differ from essential to avoid global disasters, its Southern governments and leaders, who, principles should be based on democracy, in his view did not participate in these justice and equality among all world citizens negotiations with any seriousness or from my wonderful — the key principles of good governance. long-term perspectives. He repeatedly urged This book received worldwide attention by the Indian and other Southern political environmentalist friends journalists, TV commentators, academics and leaders to take proactive positions in all policy researchers. It greatly influenced the global environmental negotiations, positions in the Western world negotiations leading up to the Rio Conference that would safeguard the interests of their on environment in 1992. poor and the marginalised. In 1994, Anil was nominated as He recognised the urgent need to when they say that Environmentalist of the Year by Les Realities demystify the politics and processes of global de l’Ecologie, a leading French environment environmental negotiations, especially to consumption is growing, magazine. Dominique Voynet, then leader Southern civil society groups and govern- of the French Green Party said, “two years ments. The State of Global Environmental population is growing and, after Rio, at a time when the GATT agreement Negotiations (GEN) reports were started has dealt a severe blow to the planet, it is keeping this in mind. Anil wanted to inform necessary that the environmentalist of the the actors in global environmental negotia- therefore, we are facing year should be the messenger with a vision tions, particularly those from the South, about anchored in sustainability and solidarity for the politics involved in these negotiations. a major environmental the future generations. Who can represent the The GEN reports analysed the process and essential synthesis between environment and outcomes in negotiations, and articulated development better than Anil Agarwal”. Southern priorities and concerns. CSE catastrophe. I would As a participant in many global environ- published two GEN reports, Green Politics mental negotiations, Anil found that Northern and Poles Apart in 1999 and 2001, which rather say that as a result interests largely dominated these meetings. were extremely well received across the He repeatedly argued that the management world. The GEN reports are used as resource of both these factors, we of global resources must be based on the material by NGOs working on these issues concept of equal environmental rights for all and are mandatory reading materials in human beings. His angry reaction to the several US university courses. are facing a major different mechanisms being developed to deal with global environmental problems, The challenge of ecological globalisation environmental challenge. including conventions, aid, trade and debt, was, “these are Northern instruments and not Anil believed that the economic globalisation A challenge that can be international instruments because they can process leading to growing wealth, never be used by poor countries and instead production and consumption would lead to a will be misused by rich countries to safeguard corresponding ecological globalisation as the met successfully their interests”. environmental problems created by one While Anil was critical of the attitude of country will increasingly cross over national the West towards global environmental borders and affect the people, economies and problems, he was equally critical of the ecologies of other countries. However, even Sudan, 1986 as he constantly argued for democracy and justice in global environmental governance, Anil looked at this process of ecological globalisation with optimism and hope. He believed that the 21st century would usher in a range of more efficient small-scale technologies and pluralistic governance systems in which a large number of people would be involved. He was also confident that the growth of civil society movements in many parts of the world, would give rise to effective leaders who are able to harness the globalisation process for growth and prosperity. Anil was therefore optimistic that the environmental and technological challenges of the 21st century can be met. Southern civil society institutions can guide their citizens to make better choices to achieve a healthy and sustainable world by improving their technical competencies, ushering in particiatory forms of governance and creating a serious and committed leadership that can make use of the opportu- nities provided by economic and ecological globalisation.

10 Annual Report 2000–2002 Down To Earth resulted in court actions, NGO campaigns, and policy and lifestyle changes. Anil used the "This country is held up by its people and not magazine to get decision-makers from diverse its leaders. Is it not time that you got to groups to pay attention to environmental know more about what people like you problems, community-initiated solutions, the and me are doing?" politics behind policies and governance in environmental decision-making. This is how Anil first spread word Down To Earth reaches every nook and about Down To Earth, the fortnightly corner of India. Its diverse readers include newsmagazine on science and environment concerned citizens, NGOs, lawyers, teachers, that he launched in 1992. Anil had been students, industry leaders, government nurturing the idea of starting such a magazine officials, researchers and others – the kind of for many years. He was convinced that people capable of leading change in India in there was a critical information gap, and the future. Readers volunteer their time and Down To Earth, modelled on the New efforts to conduct surveys and studies and to Scientist and brought out from the developing help spread the word about Down To Earth. world, would be a powerful tool to influence The public’s heart-warming response to policymakers and to create awareness in the magazine keep us motivated to maintain Mizoram, 1988 civil society. the high standards Anil had set under his Anil had been deeply impressed by the stewardship. ability of the people, especially the poor, to generate sustainable wealth through the Knowledge-based advocacy regeneration of their environment. He was also aware that there were several "All of us want to see the results of our actions. people-based efforts across India that the CSE’s strengths have been in producing media ignored, innovative responses by the publications. So, what could CSE do to people to the slow degradation of their change the society? " survival base. As he learnt more about the relevance of these efforts for sustainable By the mid-1990s, Anil had honed and development, he became convinced of the refined CSE’s communication skills and need to create wide awareness about these the organisation had come to set standards grassroots initiatives so that they could in environmental communications. Anil influence macro-policy development. At the had by this time produced three State same time, he believed that the technological of India’s Environment reports, started a changes occurring worldwide would impact newsmagazine, published numerous small the environment of India. He was concerned publications, produced several video about the need for public awareness and films and exhibitions, started specialised debate on these technological options to publications for children that created generate pressure on the government to make awareness about environmental problems. the correct choices. However, Anil was no longer content to Thus was born Down To Earth, a create awareness and wait for people to push unique newsmagazine on science and the government to take action. environment that would cover human In 1994, Anil was diagnosed for a rare aspirations, endeavours and struggles, global form of cancer of the Central Nervous System technologies, the politics behind national and (CNS lymphoma), for which he took treatment international policies and developments. at the National Institutes of Health in the US. Anil received invaluable support Rather then let his grim prognosis get him from friends and supporters across the world. down, he typically set about examining the Even before the first copy of the magazine causes of cancer. He found that changing I am 53 and this disease was printed, Anil had sold over 5000 environmental conditions, lifestyle and subscriptions and raised the seed money consumption patterns are the cause of a required to start the magazine. At the majority of the new breed of deadly diseases has given me a sense of first anniversary of the magazine, letters of like cancer. He threw himself into the task of appreciation poured in. Anil was greatly creating awareness about these issues and to mortality, which most thrilled when Gro Harlem Brundtland said bring policy change. The onset of cancer only of Down To Earth, “Reading Down To Earth spurred him to climb greater heights in order people my age don’t is cost-effective.... The issues have been to achieve results. clearly defined and pinpointed. The style, From his hospital bed in the US, Anil not unlike that of The Economist, will ensure directed his colleagues in Delhi to continue have. This drives me a stable, influential readership around work on two publications, one on Delhi’s the world.” vehicular pollution and the other on to work harder, Under Anil’s leadership, Down To Earth community-based traditional systems of water became an influential magazine that informs, management in India. He decided to make challenges, inspires and provokes people to full use of the social capital that CSE had built with greater zeal act for the environment. Most of all, it has over the years within the civil society, the become a symbol of change. Its articles have political world, and the media. and enthusiasm

Annual Report 2000–2002 11 Right to Clean Air campaign world praise for bringing about the world’s largest CNG city bus fleet. CSE’s challenge When Slow murder, the book on vehicular today is to take this success to the rest of pollution was ready, Anil approached Dr K R India’s polluted cities. Narayanan, then the vice-President of India, to release the book at his official residence. Make water everybody’s business Anil knew the prestigious address would attract heads of auto companies and many In early 1997, Anil completed Dying Wisdom, government ministers to the release function. an influential book on the traditional wisdom The book immediately attracted the attention of rural India in conserving rainwater. of the media, pollution control officials Anil’s interest in traditional water and, importantly, the Supreme Court. The harvesting systems had been kindled years campaign made full use of the media support, back, in Rajasthan. While travelling through and by focusing on the health impacts of the Churu district in the Thar Desert, he saw pollution, garnered public support. several structures that looked like Buddhist The extensive media coverage resulted in stupas placed over a flying saucer. The a suo moto notice given to the government villagers told him that this structure, called the of Delhi by the Supreme Court judge, Justice kundi, provided them with rainwater collected Kuldip Singh. Anil was pleased with the in the catchment. The dome ensured no water judiciary taking an active role in learning was lost through evaporation. What does water more about the role that the city’s numerous Anil was amazed at the ingenuity and outdated vehicles and dirty fuel played simplicity of this structure devised by the local in endangering the city’s public health. He people centuries ago to collect and store harvesting mean in hit out strongly against the government for precious water available in the arid Thar. The colluding with the auto industry and other engineer in him made a quick calculation — if human terms? vested interests for their support of polluting the region receives only 100 millimetres of technologies. rainfall and if one is able to collect this in one It means making water In 1998, following widespread public hectare of land, one can collect as much as 1 concern generated as a result of the CSE million litres of water. He marvelled at the tra- campaign, the Supreme Court ordered the ditional wisdom and technology that could everybody’s business. government of India to establish a powerful create these amazing structures and initiated authority to manage pollution problems in an in-depth study of the traditional systems that It means re-establishing New Delhi. Anil was nominated a member of existed to manage water resources. After seven this authority and wielded considerable years Dying Wisdom was published. The influence in pollution control matters through central message contained in the book was that the relationship between this committee. the management of water resources should be CSE’s Clean Air campaign has grown wrested from the government and instead people and their considerably from its initial days of creating placed in the hands of local communities. awareness about the impacts of vehicular air Anil launched the campaign simultane- environment. It means pollution. It used the power of both media, ously in different cities of India, once again and the judiciary, to counter vested interests making use of the social capital and goodwill and slowly bring in measures to ensure clean of powerful leaders CSE had built up over the catching water air quality in Delhi. The campaign has since years, to ensure that the message of the book then been instrumental in improving Delhi’s was propagated by such leaders in their where it falls fuel and air quality. Today, CSE conducts regions. studies to develop safety and emission norms The success of Anil’s campaign cam- for Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) and to paign surpassed his greatest expectations. develop emission factors for scooters and Water harvesting is today the new mantra for other two-wheelers in an effort to move the people, politicians, NGOs, donors and towards zero emissions. The Clean Air cam- even bureaucrats. Anil often said, “There is paign has become a trendsetter for similar no village in India that cannot meet its campaigns across the world and has won basic drinking and cooking water needs through rainwater harvesting”. But rainwater harvesting demands a new approach to governance — participatory rather than top-down. Therefore, Anil initiated a campaign within the campaign called jal swaraj (a term he coined for people’s management of water resources). This campaign has changed the mindsets of bureaucrats and politicians, and provoked several state governments and the central government to sponsor community rainwater harvesting efforts. However, we still have a Release of long way to go to realise Anil’s dream of true Dying Wisdom, 1997 jal swaraj.

12 Annual Report 2000–2002 The Green Rating Project

The Green Rating Project is yet another of Anil’s innovative initiatives to evoke a response from industry, a sector with whom environ- mentalists usually establish an adversarial relationship. While on a visit to the US, Anil had come across information on a programme that rated companies on their social and environmental performance. He was struck by the idea that such a process could be used to motivate and pressure industry to improve its environmental performance, and started the Green Rating Project (GRP). GRP had to overcome several problems. Obtaining environmental data of companies was a huge challenge, as Indian government agencies do not maintain environment data; what little information available is either unreliable or inaccessible. Detailed environ- mental information on each industrial sector would have to be painstakingly collected, requiring a huge amount of financial and 50th birthday celebrations, 1997 human resources. Anil, in his typical fashion, found an imaginative solution – tap into the perspective of environment, Anil was keen committed readership of Down To Earth. He to initiate a programme of environment advertised in the magazine for volunteers and education that would inculcate a holistic reaped a rich haul of over 400 applications – understanding of the environment including many from highly educated professionals. its social and cultural dimensions. These ‘Green Inspectors’, as he called them, Anil initiated CSE’s environment educa- willingly collected detailed data on each tion programme as a unique programme company — at no cost to the organisation. that teaches children about the linkages and The Green Rating Project’s first assign- continuities between nature and society; how ment was to rate the environmental environment is not solely about conserving performance of the paper and pulp sector. trees and animals; and, its importance as the The companies, initially unwilling, later survival base for the poor. The programme became voluntary participants when told the also educates children about traditional ratings would be widely publicised, and that values and practices that ensure the frugal and transparency made good business sense. Anil sustainable use of natural resources. realised industry would stop at nothing to discredit such an effort. He put together a Recognition and awards Project Advisory Committee that consisted of eminent leaders from civil society, industry Anil was made chairperson of the world’s and government. A technical steering largest network of environmental NGOs committee that included leading technical based in Nairobi, Kenya, from 1983 to 1987. experts was created. He was also awarded the Fifth Vikram GRP is today recognised as a model Sarabhai Memorial Award by the Indian programme that promotes voluntary improve- Council of Social Science Research, New ments in the environmental performance of Delhi in 1984, and the Padma Shri by the industry by using market mechanisms and Government of India in 1986. In 1987, the corporate reputation as its chief incentive. United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) elected Anil to its Global 500 Honour Educating future leaders Roll for his work in the national and interna- tional arena. The Hawaii-based Watumull In the early nineties, Anil wanted school Foundation awarded him the Honour children to be exposed to environmental Summus Award. education that was holistic in approach. In the These were just the beginning of a long 1980s, due to increased public awareness and list of awards that he won for his dedication, interest in environmental issues, environment courage and commitment to the cause had become a compulsory subject in schools, of environment. In later years, he was and in addition, there were a number of awarded the Padma Bhushan by the voluntary organisations involved in providing Government of India, the Norman Borlaug environment education. But these efforts Award by the Coromandel Fertilisers Ltd projected a conservation or nature-oriented and the Global Environment Leadership perspective on environment. Having been a Award by the Global Environment Facility, strong advocate of an anthropocentric Washington DC.

Annual Report 2000–2002 13 From the Director

This is the most difficult task I have undertaken tigers” and that “smoke was the sign of in CSE — to write about my colleague Anil progress”. Poverty in fact was seen as Agarwal without my colleague Anil Agarwal. the greatest polluter, in the words of late Anil and I have worked together, travelled Indira Gandhi. Anil debunked this and how and written together for the past 20 years. The effectively. difficulty is living life alone. Without Anil’s Environment for the poor was not a sheer fire and commitment. luxury but a matter of survival, he wrote. He Life began and ended with work for Anil. conceptualised the alternative economic When you think back it is truly amazing how paradigm of the poor, arguing that the rural much he managed to do in the past seven poor lived within what he called, “the years as he battled cancer. I remember when biomass based subsistence economy”. That is, we first found out that he had a rare and they lived on the environment as all their possibly fatal lymphoma, which had spread to basic survival needs, from food to firewood, his brain, his spine and his eyes, his only was collected and used. He mocked our response was, “is there a possible treatment”. economists who measured welfare in terms of He took the horrendous chemotherapy so the Gross National Product and demanded calmly that being with him you would think it instead that poverty should be measured in was a simple stomach pain. terms of Gross Natural Product and indicators But our focus even then was on work. like the number of hours it takes women to This was the period that our organisation, was collect water or firewood, should be used to in a mess. We had expanded, started a calculate the improvements in our economy. fortnightly magazine, but with hardly any Today, all this is common knowledge. But for management systems. Being writers and someone who has journeyed with him, I environmentalists we had no clue what it took know how difficult each step was. to run an institution. All the months we spent Every period of his life was a new chapter in the US and then later in France where of discovery. Our book, Global Warming in Every period of his Anil went for a bone marrow transplantation, an Unequal World forced us to fight the most we worked furiously to set up internal powerful research institutions of the industri- life was a new chapter systems. And we made many mistakes as alised world. The campaign on air pollution Anil’s impatience drove colleagues up the made us take on the powerful automobile of discovery. Anil never wall. But he soon learnt that to build a solid industry. But Anil never ever let us, even for foundation he needed to give his strength and one moment, feel that we were less powerful. generosity and most of all, his time. He did. This is because his faith in democracy was let us, even for one And I know he died with the knowledge that total. As long as we were absolutely sure about he had created an institution, which would our facts we could challenge the world. “If moment, feel that we carry his work forward. Poorer without him. we have good knowledge and we have But not destitute. social capital — friends and experts willing to were less powerful. For him, the most hated legacy was what cooperate with us — we can work Indian Gandhiji left behind. “Orphans,” he would democracy,” was what he said again and say. “Their inability to stay involved with the again to us. For Anil, democracy was a way challenges and to show the way ahead has of life. It is because of this belief that made Gandhiji irrelevant.” For Anil to live on in Anil was able to find the balance in the our hearts and minds CSE will have to continue challenge: markets were important as much as to drive the environmental message, as loudly participatory democracy at the village level. and as stridently as he would have done. “Forensic rigour combined with passion” His message was also always evolving. was how a leading journalist from UK Knowledge was his biggest passion and he described CSE’S work. This was Anil’s key never assumed that he had learnt all there was quality and what he has left behind for us to to know. This, to me, is his most endearing emulate. His last many years went in building message. Till the end he listened to people, up two campaigns — to push for community travelled and read, as if he was a cub reporter. involvement in water management and to It is because of this, his intellectual legacy clean up Delhi’s air. is enormously rich. In the 1980s the fledgling environmental movement got its basis as he I will miss his guidance. His presence. But I established the need for poor countries to be know he will remain with us to keep us on our concerned about the environment. This was toes. To keep the fire burning. the time when it was generally accepted that environment was to do with “pretty trees and — Sunita Narain

14 Annual Report 2000–2002 Perspectives

M S SWAMINATHAN Chairperson, Executive Board

I cannot reconcile myself to the fact that I am NGOs engaged in the conservation and writing this in the place of Anil Agarwal, enhancement of natural resources has been Founder-Chairman of the Centre for Science another important contribution. and Environment. The last time I was with Anil was when we visited the village of Lava Since all the work done during the year is ka Baas in the Alwar district of Rajasthan on contained in this report, I do not wish to 19 July 2001. I noticed at that time that Anil recapitulate them again in this preface. My was not at all well. He had just returned from aim is mainly to help us remind ourselves Madurai after visiting the tank rehabilitation of how much we owe to the untiring and programme designed to foster the harvest of professionally rigorous work done by Anil rainwater at the places where it falls. The Agarwal in the brief span of life given to him. premature death of Anil is an incalculable loss CSE is committed not only to continue to both nature and our nation. The serious his legacy but expand it considerably so drought of 2002 has reminded us of the that everyone of the over billion children, wisdom of community conservation of women and men inhabiting our country rainwater promoted by CSE under the becomes environmentally literate and inspiring leadership of Anil. All that we can responsible. do is to continue the work he had started with such vision and vigour. I wish to place on record the appreciation of the members of the Executive Board to the This report is evidence of both the contempo- dedicated work of the staff of CSE led by rary relevance and professional excellence of Sunita Narain. I also wish to express our the various programmes undertaken by the gratitude to all the donors but for whose dedicated staff of CSE under the leadership of confidence in the importance of our work and Sunita Narain. CSE's unique strength lies in generous financial support the work described working at two levels - grassroot and policy. in this report would not have been possible. Drawing inspiration from grassroot realities, CSE has been able to influence public policy in a manner practically unrivalled in our country. The work done to control air pollution in Delhi through the crusade for clean energy sources like the introduction of compressed natural gas (CNG) for public transport is probably the most important step taken so far in helping the citizens of Delhi to achieve the right to clean air.

CSE through its various publications and public awareness campaigns has been able to keep environmental issues at the top of the political, public and legal agenda. Gobar Times has been effective in igniting young minds in the area of promoting harmony with nature. The Green Rating Project has been extraordinarily effective in making industry conscious of its environmental responsibility. This project has helped industry to realise that hereafter good ecology alone can lead to good business on a sustainable basis. Above all, CSE has made significant contributions to global environmental governance and played a key role at the Conference of Parties (CoP) of the Global Climate Convention held at New Delhi. Networking with other South Asian

Annual Report 2000–2002 15 Institutional development

A framework for change

Key achievements in institutional development

In the last decade, CSE made major program- The annual planning process is reviewed matic shifts — first, by moving into a dead- for drawbacks and anomalies every year and line-oriented journalistic culture, and then, by improved upon. This year for instance, a moving into policy research and advocacy. system of providing feedback to each staff At the beginning of this decade, CSE is again member has been introduced. The idea is to expanding into new areas of education, provide an opportunity to each staff member training and pollution monitoring. to learn from the process of annual planning This growth in programme areas under- and work on the weaknesses and consolidate lines the urgent need to consolidate support the strong points. The feedback information is structures that can sustain and enable growth. provided to staff members in a manner that In 2000-2002, several improvements to this is conducive for the person to be able to support framework were made and this is a accept suggestions for improvements and feel continuing and a dynamic effort. satisfied with the work accomplished.

Programme Management Systems Monitoring of performances against planned activities Annual planning and monitoring The programme monitoring system too is Continuing the system of annual planning for a dynamic and is constantly improved upon. structured organisational programme plan, In this period, we introduced a system of annual plans of all units of CSE were prepared evaluation for new staff just after three months and presented to peers both within and outside of joining. This is to single out non-performers CSE. The names of panelists of the peer reviews early and save the time and effort invested in conducted in 2000-2002 are given below. training such persons.

External review panel: 2000 – 2002 Unit Resource persons Programme Management Mr Vikram Lal, Vikram Sarabhai Foundation; Mr B D Dikshit, Former Chairman, Union Bank of and Development India; Mr Rohit Arora, Director, AR Credit Info Services; Mr Arun Duggal, HCL Technologies Ltd

People’s Management Dr N C Saxena, Former Secretary, Planning Commission; Prof Chaturvedi, IIT, Delhi; Ms Madhu on Water Programme Bhatnagar, The Sri Ram School, New Delhi; Ms M S Vani, Development Centre for Alternative Policies, New Delhi

Environment Resource Unit Dr R A Mashelkar, Director General, CSIR, New Delhi; Mr K P Nyati, Head, Environment Division, CII, New Delhi; Mr Bhupendra Badgaiya, National Project Coordinator, SDNP, New Delhi; Mr Arun Seth, BT Worldwide Ltd, New Delhi; Ms Neena Jacob, British Council Library, New Delhi

Global Environmental Mr Sukumar Muraleedharan, Frontline, New Delhi; Mr B S Chimney, International Legal Studies Governance Division, JNU, New Delhi; Mr Vijay Sharma, Former joint Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Forests; Mr Mohan Gopal, National Law School, Bangalore; Dr Suman Sahai, Gene Campaign, New Delhi; Prof D K Banerjee, Dean, School of Environmental Science, JNU, New Delhi

Down To Earth Mr B G Verghese, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi; Mr Ramesh Mukalla, Embassy of Sweden, New Delhi; Mr Bharat Bhushan, Senior journalist, New Delhi; Dr Arun Kumar Attri, School of Environmental Science, JNU; Ms Bharati Chaturvedi, Chintan Environmental Action Network, New Delhi; Mr Om Thanvi, Jansatta, New Delhi; Mr Raghav Saha, Department of Science & Technology, New Delhi; Mr Rajiv Bhartari, Forest Research Institute, Dehradun

Right To Clean Air Mr Prem Shanker Jha, Columnist; Dr S K Chhabra, Vallabhai Patel Chest Institute, New Delhi; Campaign Mr Rajendra Gupta, Former Transport Minister, Delhi; Dr J N Pande, Department of Medicine, AIIMS, New Delhi; Dr R A Mashelkar, Director-CSIR, New Delhi; Mr B Sengupta, Central Pollution Control Board, New Delhi; Dr B P Pundir, Professor, IIT, Kanpur; Prof H B Mathur, Regional Engineering College, Delhi; Dr Rita Pandey, National Institute for Finance Policy, New Delhi; Veeresh Malik, Environmental columnist, Bangalore

Green Rating Project Mr T N Ninan, Business Standard Ltd, New Delhi; Prof H B Mathur, Regional Engineering College, Delhi; Mr Bibek Debroy, Rajiv Gandhi Foundation, New Delhi; Mr V N Das, Ranbaxy Laboratories, New Delhi; Mr Aloke Mookherjea, ABB, Calcutta

Health & Environment Dr G P Talwar; Dr (Mrs) A K Susheela; Dr N Kochupillai; Dr R C Dhiman

16 Annual Report 2000-2002 We also introduced changes to give to us have a sincere interest in environment. senior staff a greater stake in the organisation At middle levels (2-5 years of experience), to meet their priority targets. Beginning salaries will be competitive with the market this year, a system of quarterly evaluation of for the skills involved. At the top management specific targets has been initiated. A corre- levels, salaries will be 30-40 per cent higher sponding incentive system called the than the market rates. This is to ensure that Quarterly Performance Reward (QPR) as an staff who have been trained in CSE have an additional incentive over and above their incentive to stay. salaries has also been introduced. Middle level staff will have their separate The rationale for this system is two-fold – annual plan with clear objectives and deliver- (1) to take into consideration the multifarious ables. Senior level responsibilities will responsibilities of coordinators who often Include ensuring timely output of team mem- have to expend time on unplanned activities, bers, recruitment, training of staff, information and (2) to motivate coordinators who management, fund-raising and overall have key responsibilities to ensure that major administration of the programme. deadlines of the team are met. The system is designed to ensure that Training for human resource growth priority work gets executed and activities are During the year, CSE also finalised its policy quantified by a system of points that give to provide specialised training to staff to weightage to priority activities. To help coor- facilitate professional growth. The training dinators achieve their targets, we have also policy consists of a variety of programmes – introduced a system of providing assistants. in-house lectures by staff and outside experts; Yet another improvement is the introduc- in-house professional training in areas of tion of team targets to counter the tendency of information technology, journalistic skills, etc individual staff members concentrating more by outside experts, participation in seminars on their own performances to the detriment of and workshops and sponsorship for the team’s performance as a whole. specialised long-term professional/training courses. These could be in the field of Performance-based evaluation computer software for networks, databases In this period, we worked on this system to and websites, secretarial skills and language ensure that performance incentives are linked proficiency skills. to indicators that give a clear idea of what kind of incentive will be awarded for what Management Support Systems kind of performance. Annual performance incentives are linked to the salary grades of Administration each person. The quarterly performance CSE took several steps to convert its building reward (QPR) system is so structured to ensure into a green office space. Some of the tasks that targets are met as follows: completed are: construction of a water harvest- • Performance below 75% of plan – NIL ing system to collect all the rainwater that falls • Performance between 75-90% of plan – within the premises; implementation of a paper 80% of incentive recycling system to avoid paper wastage; cre- • Performance over 90% of plan – 100% of ation of a special space for volunteers to work incentive comfortably; and, use of bio-environmental Teams working on books/ major papers control mechanisms for control of mosquitoes. will be rewarded additionally on completion of publications in time and to the satisfaction Systems of a review committee. The systems unit undertook a major upgrada- tion and acquisition to keep up with the Career path growth in the organisation. The unit also In order to direct staff growth towards multi- regularly organises training sessions for all ple skills of research, communication and CSE staff on the use of Word, Excel, use of activism, a career path has been drawn up to Internet, MS Access, etc. ensure that staff will develop these skills as they grow within the organisation. Outreach As part of this effort, CSE undertook an Regular newsletters like the Catch Water, overhaul of the salary structure to ensure that Gobar Times, and other small publications every staff member and every person who will were also published. Major publications join CSE will fit into a grade and a scale. included Making Water Everybody’s Business What is unique about the system is that and Poles Apart. the new system is coupled with a system of In order to facilitate access of CSE products performance rewards that provide substantial to prospective buyers, CSE opened a bookshop incentives for good performances. at its India Habitat office, which is centrally The rationale that underlines the located in the heart of the city. It has received a structure is that fresh, new and relatively good response from the public. CSE also offers inexperienced staff will be paid at less than publications and other products online through market rates to ensure that people who come the CSE Store on the website.

Annual Report 2000-2002 17 Policy Research and Advocacy

Pushing for solutions

OBJECTIVE In the period 2000–2002, CSE focused on air pollution, community-based water management, ◗ Policy Research and Advocacy and global governance campaigns. The Right to Clean Air Campaign has been highly visible, and has led to an appreciable improvement in the quality of Delhi's air. Another highlight of the year was the success in getting a positive response from auto manufacturers to provide an emissions warranty. The Supreme Court supported CSE despite enormous pressure from vested interests. The GROUPS Court handed down several rulings to improve the quality of petrol, diesel and benzene. The Water Harvesting Campaign team has been successful in changing the focus of ◗ Air Pollution harvesting water — from discussion to implementation. Our call to make harvesting water a ◗ Natural Resource Management people's movement has been endorsed by civil society. Farmers from all over the country took (Water harvesting, biodiversity, the initiative and turned water harvesting into a mass movement. The government and municipal and poverty and environment) bodies have enthusiastically supported the initiative. The effort has also drawn international attention. ◗ Health and Environment Over the past two years, the Global Governance Campaign has convinced several more groups to adopt the idea of equitable rights to the atmosphere. ◗ Industry and Environment During the process of campaigning and advocacy, CSE has learnt that the work needs enormous physical, intellectual and emotional stamina. Launching a campaign needs complete ◗ Global Environment involvement. CSE also learnt to respond tirelessly to the backlash from numerous vested Governance interests. CSE’s campaigns are knowledge-driven and require detailed study of the issues. Over the years, we have developed internal capacity by enhancing our commitment and competence. CAMPAIGNS

◗ Right to Clean Air RIGHT TO CLEAN AIR CAMPAIGN perspective to the people but also became reference material during the judicial scrutiny ◗ Make Water Everybody’s After nearly six years of campaigning, the and later formulations of public policy. The Right to Clean Air campaign received a Supreme Court has essentially agreed with Business tremendous boost by a 2002 Supreme Court CSE’s campaign that the issue of air pollution ◗ order. This landmark judgement for improving has grave consequences for public health and Equal Rights to the Atmosphere air quality in Delhi and in other cities of that action to bring about clean fuels must be India, will, if implemented well, make a huge taken across the country. difference to air pollution in several cities in Another significant CSE achievement was MAJOR PROJECT India. The court order took into account many the announcement by the Society for Indian of the demands that CSE has been making over Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) to provide ◗ Rating the Environmental the past six years as part of its campaign on air emission warranties for all vehicles, in phases, Performance of Indian Industry pollution. The main plank of the campaign has in all cities where Euro II norms have to be been the introduction of compressed natural implemented. This is perhaps the first time gas (CNG) for public transport. anywhere in the world that a demand from The Right to Clean Air campaign adopts a civil society has been accepted by industry three-pronged strategy to achieve its aims: (1) without any government intervention. to research and produce credible scientific information; (2) to influence the courts RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY through the Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA); and, (3) to use mass media Air Quality Index for Delhi in order to create awareness in society and counter disinformation on CNG technology to There is a need to inform and educate the reinforce CSE’s campaign. public about the state of air quality in cities Accordingly, CSE launched a media blitz and the health implications of poor air quality. by publishing reports, articles, press releases, Experience around the world has shown that giving television interviews, commissioning raw data on the levels of pollutants makes scientific and technological studies, conducti- little sense to people. The information must be ing policy research and through advocacy. conveyed to the public in a meaningful way CSE followed the Supreme Court case closely by developing a simple index that indicates air throughout the year and provided the apex quality as “good”, “moderate” or “poor”. court’s judges and lawyers with information To develop such an index for Delhi, CSE through the EPCA. organised a workshop from June 6-8, 2000, in CSE reports including A technical study of which several well-known international experts CNG technology; Smokescreen of lies: Myths on air quality monitoring and inventorisation and facts about CNG; and a report on Fuel from the US, Sweden and India participated. Adulteration not only cast issues in true The available Delhi’s air quality data for

18 Annual Report 2000-2002 In the resultant chaos and confusion, vested interests favouring diesel attempted to derail the court order to convert the public transport system to CNG. To counter the disinformation campaign, to prove the soundness of CNG technology and to evaluate safety standards for CNG technology, CSE in April 2001 commissioned three overseas experts on CNG technology to undertake a technical study and to make recommendations to ensure a safe and smooth conversion. The Anumita Roy Chowdhury makes a presenta- team comprised the following members: tion at the Air Quality Index workshop Christopher S Weaver, President, Engine, Fuel and Emissions Engineering Inc, California, the period 1987-97 was analysed. Experts who has worked on CNG technology for also reviewed the air quality indices of other public transport systems in Chile, Mexico, countries, including the UK, Australia, US, Thailand and the US. France and Mexico. In Delhi, unlike in cities Lennart Erlandsson, Manager, Business in other countries, on many days the presence Area, Air Quality at Motor Test Centre AB of a number of gases are simultaneously in Haninge, Sweden, has worked on CNG higher than prescribed health levels. The projects in Chile, Thailand and Iran and index helps capture dangerous levels of has extensively studied issues related to various emissions and gasses on such days. conversion of old diesel engines. Participants also discussed methodologies Frank Dursbeck, independent international to develop an extensive inventory of sources consultant in the field of traffic and environ- of air pollution. This will help predict and ment has worked in Chile and several Central estimate source-wise contribution and trends American countries on CNG urban transporta- in source-wise emissions, together with tion projects. associated health affects. The weakest link in The experts visited a number of agencies current air quality planning is that it is still not working on CNG conversions and new CNG possible to arrive at reliable source-wise buses they suggested several modifications pollution load estimates in the city. in technology and regulations that if imple- After extensive deliberations, a suitable mented, will eliminate safety fears and make Air Quality Index for Delhi was developed. CNG implementation more efficient. The experts presented the results of their study to HIGHLIGHTS The Emission Load Model the Delhi government, including the Chief PROGRAMME Minister, the Ministry of Environment and CSE’s Emission Load Model is a computer- Forests (MoEF) and the Environment Pollution simulated model that estimates vehicle Control Authority (EPCA). CSE also wrote to emission levels. The objective of this study is to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways estimate the trend in vehicular pollution load in (MRTH) and put forward several recommenda- the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi. tions on safety and distribution norms. The study seeks to project the levels of key air pollutants from the year 2000 to 2015 by taking Fuel adulteration study the following factors into consideration: • the number of vehicles; Several proposals were introduced for the • the extent of utilisation of these vehicles; introduction of clean fuels other than CNG, • their emissions profile; and including ultra low sulphur diesel. To test the • the amount of deterioration they experience. extent of adulteration in fuels, the Supreme The model will help assess the impact of Court directed the EPCA to undertake a random different policy interventions on Delhi’s testing of petrol from petrol pumps, oil depots air pollution load from different vehicles. The and oiltank trucks across the city to measure the Test results of seized samples of petrol study aims to provide air pollution control quantum of adulteration. officials and activists with a reliable decision- CSE was asked to monitor this testing and making tool. also carried out an independent assessment of the fuel adulteration problem in the National Expert review of CNG technology in Delhi Capital Territory of Delhi and the National Capital Region. Venturing into this field for the As per a Supreme Court order, all public trans- first time, CSE found that fuel quality standards port vehicles in Delhi? were to convert to and fuel testing procedures were so lax that it CNG technology with effect from April 1, was easy to adulterate diesel or petrol legally. 2001. However, all parties concerned with As part of this study, CSE sent several dummy The following elements (in proportion) public transport, including the Indraprastha samples of adulterated fuel for testing. The were found in the sample: Gas Supply Undertaking, private bus operators results confirmed that the testing methods 1. Petrol 2. Adulterants and the Delhi Transport Corporation, were currently followed were unable to detect 3. Greed totally unprepared for this change. presence of adulterants in petrol or diesel. 4. Bad governance

Annual Report 2000-2002 19 Policy Research and Advocacy

The CSE laboratory compared petrol heavily upon technical and scientific investi- samples from several retail outlets and depots. gation. Therefore, CSE plays a key role in The normal failure rate reported by the oil providing technical information to the court companies in the past was 1-2 per cent. through the EPCA. Despite the odds, this operation came up with a much higher failure rate of 30 per cent of all Technical support to EPCA and the court petrol samples and the total sample failure rate was a staggering 26 per cent. The confirmato- CSE undertook detailed studies for submission ry tests showed astonishingly high variations to the EPCA on: in some key aromatic compounds such as • clean fuels and technology; hexane, pentane and xylene in the petrol • fuel adulteration, including the CSE samples from retail outlets and depots, which report on adulteration submitted to the would have gone undetected under standard EPCA as per the Supreme Court order; Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) test methods, • the extent of pollution in different cities because aromatics are not tested because they and the impact of auto policies. are not regulated in India. CSE prepared several papers on CNG on: COURT STRATEGY • defining safety standards for CNG buses; • pricing of CNG; As the April 1, 2001 deadline to convert all • problem of gas infrastructure; and public passenger transport to CNG approached, • the growing trend of CNG used world- the battle inside the Supreme Court intensified wide. CSE also studied problems relating as did CSE’s campaign activities. During this to gas availability, distribution and alloca- period all concerned parties thronged the court tion across the city. to air their grievances — bus manufacturers, school representatives, private bus operators, PUBLIC AWARENESS ACTIVITIES contract carriage bus operators, auto drivers’ unions, and tourist bus operators. They either Among CSE’s major campaign strategies is to pleaded for more time or questioned CNG build awareness and provoke response using technology, declaring it ’untried’. Vested inter- science-based knowledge. CSE produced infor- ests tried everything to discredit CNG and to mational material, organised public events and seek permission to continue with Euro II diesel networked with experts, doctors and technolo- already available in the market. The Central gists to improve technical understanding, fight Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MPNG) misinformation and push for change. CSE’s emerged as the key spoiler, arguing that there media and networking strategies have helped was not enough gas to sustain the CNG initia- shape informed public opinion. An almost daily tive. This encouraged other players to push for vigil helps track business and political resis- allowing Euro II diesel and unleaded petrol to tance to its campaign objectives. be used by buses in Delhi. Among the main campaign thrusts over the The Right to Clean Air Campaign team past few years was to compel the government extensively researched to counter each of the to implement an alternate fuel policy and misleading claims and explode the official mandate the use of clean fuels. By using alter- connivance to derail the CNG initiative. nate fuels such as CNG, the country can CSE’s presence in the EPCA provides the leapfrog to Euro IV emission levels that would leverage to influence the court’s decisions by make a significant impact on air quality. CSE providing the technical inputs to prioritise organised a series of media and public events measures. CSE learnt from its experiences that to keep people informed about the importance vehicular pollution issues have to draw of converting to CNG.

Path-breaking court order

The Supreme Court ruling from the three-judge bench headed by Justice BN Kirpal in April 2002 was momentous and innovative, and CSE welcomed it whole-heartedly. The ruling puts the CNG controversy to rest and focuses entirely on implementation of the CNG order that leaves no room for further confusion. The Court ordered: 1. All public transport vehicles to run on CNG 2. 800 diesel buses to be phased out every month from May 2002 3. Imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 per day on bus operators delaying conversion to CNG. 4. Court chides Union Government, slaps penalty of Rs 20,000 for repeatedly seeking revision of court order 5. Union Government free to supply LPG or any other clean non-adulterable fuel in addition to CNG for the transport sector 6. Transport sector to be given priority for supply of CNG in the event of deficit production. 7. Union and state governments debarred from appealing against the court order

20 Annual Report 2000-2002 •Ê¬Ÿ ‚ÈŸÊ rumour about CNG causing cancer, while none ‚Ë.∞Ÿ.¡Ë. ‚ ∑Ò§ã‚⁄U „UÊÃÊ „ÒU had ever heard about the carcinogenic potential of diesel fumes. CSE immediately countered this whisper ¤ÊÍ∆U campaign that was spread to stall the successful

•»§flÊ„U „ÒU– Á∑§‚Ÿ »Ò§‹Ê߸? ©Uã„UÊ¥Ÿ ¡Ê ‚Ë.∞Ÿ.¡Ë. ‚ ÉÊ’⁄UÊ ⁄U„U „Ò¥U– ’„ÈUà „ÒU¢ ∞‚ ¡Ê move to convert public transport to CNG. CSE ¡ÊŸÃ „Ò¥U ‚Ë.∞Ÿ.¡Ë. ∑§Ë øÊ⁄UË •Ê‚ÊŸ Ÿ„UË¥– «UË$¡‹ •ÊÒ⁄U ¬≈˛UÊ‹ øÈ⁄UÊŸÊ •ÊÒ⁄U Á◊‹Êfl≈U ∑§⁄U ’øŸÊ •Ê‚ÊŸ „ÒU– ‚Ë.∞Ÿ.¡Ë. πÃ⁄UÊ „ÒU ß‚ ∑§Ê‹Ê ’Ê¡Ê⁄UË ∑§Ê– •Ê◊ ‹ÊªÊ¥ ∑§Ê Ÿ„UË¥– took out advertisements in several regional

∑§ß¸ •ÊÚ≈UÊÁ⁄UćÊÊ flÊ‹Ê¥ Ÿ ‚ÈŸË „ÒU ÿ„U •»§flÊ„–U ¬⁄U flÊ ¡ÊŸÃ „ÒU¢ ¬˝Ê∑ΧÁÃ∑§ ªÒ‚ ‚ ¬˝ŒÍ·áÊ language newspapers, including the Sandhya ∑§◊ „UÊÃÊ „ÒU– Times and Punjab Kesri, which are widely ¡⁄UÊ ŒÁπ∞ ÁflôÊÊŸ ÄÿÊ ∑§„UÃÊ „ÒU— •ª⁄U «UË¡‹ ‚ vÆÆ ‹Êª ∑Ò§ã‚⁄U ∑§ Á‡Ê∑§Ê⁄U „UÊÃ „Ò¥U, read by autorickshaw and taxi drivers. CSE ÃÊ ¬≈˛UÊ‹ ‚ yy •ÊÒ⁄U ‚Ë.∞Ÿ.¡Ë. ‚ ∑§fl‹ } also distributed printed pamphlets across ÁflôÊÊŸ •ÊÒ⁄U ¬ÿʸfl⁄UáÊ ∑§ãº˝ ¡ŸÁ„Uà ◊¥ ∑§Ê◊ ∑§⁄UÃÊ „ÒU– „U◊ ¡ÊŸÃ „Ò¥U, ◊ÊŸÃ „Ò¥U Á∑§ ‚Ë.∞Ÿ.¡Ë. ÁŒÀ‹Ë ∑§Ë „UflÊ ◊¥ ¬˝ŒÍ·áÊ ∑§◊ ∑§⁄UŸ ∑§Ê Delhi, educating the public about the carcino- ∞∑§ •„U◊ Ã⁄UË∑§Ê „ÒU– ‚SÃÊ– ‚ÈãŒ⁄–U Á≈U∑§Ê™§– ¬⁄U Á’ŸÊ ‚⁄U∑§Ê⁄UË ŸËÁà ◊¥ ’Œ‹Êfl ‹Ê∞, Á’ŸÊ •ÊÚ≈UÊÁ⁄UćÊÊ ø‹ÊŸ flÊ‹Ê¥ ∑§Ê genic affects of diesel and the beneficial ◊Ê‹Ë ◊ŒŒ ÁŒ∞ ÿ„U ◊ÈÁ‡∑§‹ „ÒU– aspects of CNG. In response to this campaign, CNG •»§flÊ„U ∑§Ê ∑§ÊŸ Ÿ Œ¥ CSE received a number of telephone enquiries ‚Ë.∞Ÿ.¡Ë. ÁŸÁ‡øà „UË ¬≈˛UÊ‹ •ÊÒ⁄U «UË¡‹ ‚ ’„UÃ⁄U „ÒU– ªÒ‚ ‚ ø‹Ÿ flÊ‹ ߢ¡Ÿ ¬≈˛UÊ‹ ‚ Á∑§‚Ë Ã⁄U„U ∑§◊ Ÿ„UË „ÒU¢– •ÊÒ⁄U ∑Ò§ã‚⁄U from autorickshaw drivers and others interested ¡Ò‚Ë ’Ë◊ÊÁ⁄UÿÊ¥ ∑§Ê ∑§◊ ∑§⁄UŸ ◊¥ ∑§„UË¥ ÖÿÊŒÊ ∑§Ê⁄Uª⁄U „ÒU¢– in converting to CNG engines.

ÁflôÊÊŸ •ÊÒ⁄U ¬ÿʸfl⁄UáÊ ∑§ãº˝ yv, ÃȪ‹∑§Ê’ÊŒ ߢS≈UË≈˜Uÿ͇ʟ‹ ∞Á⁄UÿÊ, Ÿß¸ ÁŒÀ‹Ë - vvÆÆ{w »§ÊŸ— ~v-vv-{Æ}vvvÆ, {Æ}vvwy, {Æ}xx~y »Ò Ä‚— ~v-vv-{Æ}z}|~ Smokescreen of lies — A factsheet ߸ ◊‹— [email protected] fl’‚Êß≈U— www.cseindia.org There was a concerted bid by vested interests Campaign in the language press benefiting from diesel to spread disinformation and lies about CNG in the national media. In January 2001, vested interests spread a To counter this effectively and to build public rumour among auto-rickshaw and taxi drivers confidence on health and safety aspects of that leading medical experts from the All India CNG, CSE published a compilation that listed Institute of Medical Sciences and the Apollo — and then countered with well-presented Hospital have declared that CNG causes facts — all the myths that were being cancer. CSE conducted a rapid survey to propagated to discredit CNG. confirm whether the rumour was being spread, The booklet, Smokescreen of lies, was surveying about 207 autorickshaw drivers widely disseminated to judges, officials of across the city in Hamdard Nagar, Batra the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hospital, Civil Lines, Mall Road, New Delhi Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Surface Railway Station, ITO, ISBT, Delhi University, Transport, Delhi Transport Corporation, the GTB Nagar and Connaught Place. CSE also state government of Delhi, academics, HIGHLIGHTS surveyed a smaller group of 30 taxi drivers to private transport operators, members of EPCA, PROGRAMME confirm whether they had heard the rumour. media, the World Bank and among several Every one of those surveyed had heard the NGOs.

Doing the right thing: Feedback

“Your recent articles on CNG have been a real Reactions to Anil Agarwal’s article, “Pollution eye-opener and I have decided to operate my food is snuffing us out” published in The Hindu, January processing industry on CNG. Our idea of operating 23, 2000: diesel cars has also changed to CNG,” Kanhaiya Lal “Your article is very impressive and informative. Goyal. Central and State pollution boards analyse only the “Through your guidance we have started amount of suspended particulate matters and contents mobilising youngsters against air pollution. We have of the SPM are not given much importance as you said formed a group of 20 mature-minded youngsters — in the article,” Jaya Shekhar. named the Group the, Green Earth Group,” “This crime of omissions and commissions on Manjunath Sulloli. the part of the government is nothing short of murder “We have taken CSE’s advise in letter and spirit or homicide,” Dr N Venugopal. and wish to contribute our might and we “Please provide us with authoritative materials are proud to join hands with your esteemed organi- on the damage caused by rayon factory so that sation,” G Subramanian. we can move the high court for directions to close “I am indebted to you for inspiring me to take air down Mavoor rayon factory of Calicut which is pollution studies in Kurnool town,” Dr C V causing a lot of harm to nature and humanity,” Rajeswari. Tony Kannanthanam. “Only technically qualified people or scientists or “Your article is very well researched and it the courts can answer correctly whether CNG is the does paint a bleak future for our future generation,” answer to the problem of pollution. But for ordinary Minoo E Avari. Delhites, it is a big relief as pollution has definitely “As an individual I want to do something in Kota come down”, Mahesh Kapasi. in the field of environment education, awareness, "Delhi's air is a lot cleaner than before," M S polythene use and waste management in the city,” Swaminathan M M Sharma.

Annual Report 2000-2002 21 Policy Research and Advocacy

Setting the facts right — the media blitz

To counter the extensive misinformation campaign launched by the diesel lobby and other vested interests, CSE organised a series of public information activities to inform people about the truth behind Delhi’s air pollution.

March 31, 2000: CSE lauds as the Chief Justice highlight reasons why problems of CNG distribution bench in the Supreme Court rejects the Delhi and to expose the culpability of the Ministry of Transport Corporation’s (DTC’s) plea for extension of Petroleum and Natural Gases. the deadline beyond March 31, 2000. The ruling August 9, 2001: CSE writes a press release on the further squashed all demands to buy Euro II diesel moves by the Union Petroleum Minister, Ram Naik, buses to replace older buses. to sabotage the Supreme Court’s orders on CNG by April 12, 2000: CSE condemns SIAM's road map that refusing to augment the CNG supply to petrol did not spell out any proactive measure to reduce pumps. emissions in the interest of public health. August 11, 2001: CSE releases a brief showing that July 18, 2000: CSE castigates Delhi Chief Minister Indraprastha Gas Limited has failed to meet the target Sheila Dikshit, who made a statement that she of establishing the 80 CNG stations mandated by the would move the Supreme Court to get Euro II diesel Supreme Court, resulting in long auto queues in the accepted as clean fuel. Capital. August 9, 2000: CSE demands that the use of Methyl August 20, 2001: CSE highlights the misguided Tertiary Butyl Ether (MTBE) be banned in India as an policies of the Finance Ministry that encourages the additive to petrol and strongly protested to the use of polluting vehicles by levying higher taxes on Ministry of Environment and Forests (MoEF) about environmentally cleaner products. the proposal to add MTBE as an oxygenate to petrol August 22, 2001: CSE criticises the Ministry of Road to reduce carbon monoxide emissions. Transport and Highways for its proposed amend- August 10, 2000: CSE criticises Delhi Transport ments to the existing emissions norms for CNG and Corporation (DTC), bent upon diverting public atten- LPG vehicles. tion from CNG by initiating a pilot project on diesel August 28, 2001: A CSE press release denounces BJP buses instead of focussing on the implementation of national Vice President Madan Lal Khurana for the Supreme Court order of converting to CNG. spreading disinformation on CNG and politicising December 5, 2000: CSE condemns the automobile the issue against the public interest. industry for not taking responsibility for the emissions October 11, 2001: A CSE press release points out performance of the vehicles on road for the duration the lack of safety compliance standards and legally of their useful life. enforceable rules that govern the safety of CNG December 14, 2000: CSE reproaches the govern- vehicles plying in Delhi. ment’s lack of interest in implementing the Supreme October 12, 2001: CSE press release on the moves Court order to introduce CNG buses by March 31, by the Delhi government to discourage private 2001. operators from converting to CNG. January 12, 2001: CSE organises a press conference November 15, 2001: A CSE press release uncovers against a whisper campaign that ‘CNG causes the moves by Ram Naik, Union Minister for cancer’ that was being spread in the capital. Petroleum and Natural Gas to deny gas to private February 23, 2001: When the automobile industry CNG vehicles owners and threaten price hikes. offered emissions warranties, CSE organised a press January 8, 2002: CSE rejects the Mashelkar conference to highlight that for the first time in the Committee on auto fuel policy calling it visionless. history of air quality monitoring, a major step March 1, 2002: A CSE press release denounces the forward has been catalysed by a public campaign. Union Budget as visionless in using fiscal incentives March 1, 2001: CSE expresses displeasure at the to control pollution. Union Budget that imposed taxes on a clean fuels March 12, 2002: A CSE press release declares fuel like CNG and thereby discouraging its use. adulteration. goes undetected because of weak July 25, 2001: CSE organises a press conference to detection methods and standards.

22 Annual Report 2000-2002 PEOPLE’S WATER MANAGEMENT authored by Anil Agarwal. The briefing paper CAMPAIGN educates leaders about various aspects of rainwater harvesting in order to motivate legislators to popularise rainwater harvesting CSE’s People’s Water Management Campaign projects in their respective constituencies. has endeavored to change the paradigm of The paper was published in English and water management in the country — to wrest Hindi and more than 2,000 copies were control over water resources from the govern- distributed to 700 Members of Parliament, ment and place it in the hands of the people. NGOs, and policymakers. Several reprints This campaign has been very successful. As a of the paper were ordered due to the result of efforts to create informed public overwhelming response. opinion on the need for people-based water An Oriya-language version of the briefing management, public interest has grown rapidly, paper, produced with the help of the NGO and today the idea of decentralised water har- Sahabhagi Vikas Abhiyan, was also printed. vesting is widely accepted both nationally and Efforts are currently underway to print the internationally. Many state governments, paper in Gujarati and Tamil. municipal authorities and civil society groups have begun work on this new approach of Addressing Governors and Union Ministers using and conserving water. CSE has followed a two-fold strategy to During the State Governor’s meet on July promote community-based water harvesting 12-13, 2000, the former President of India, and make it a national movement: (1) to K R Narayanan, invited CSE’s director, the late mobilise the urban populations-through Anil Agarwal, to present a lecture on environ- publications, lectures, exhibitions, technical mental issues at the Rashtrapati Bhavan. The advice and training workshops, and (2) to Prime Minister, various state Governors and mobilise rural populations through a network of Union Ministers attended the event at which rural communities called jal biradaris. CSE’s Anil Agarwal presented a paper titled campaign ‘Making Water Everybody’s Business’ Protecting the quality of life and eradicating is receiving good response and has succeeded rural poverty. Anil Agarwal pointed out in catalysing different groups of stakeholders — that while rural land management and from individuals and water administrators to energy quality has improved over the last politicians, builders and NGOs. The campaign decade, urban quality of life, environmental has promoted interest at the government level health, wildlife protection and river water and several state governments have introduced quality have steadily deteriorated. Pointing to schemes for implementing water harvesting at the current drought situation in several HIGHLIGHTS the rural level with the active participation of states, Anil Agarwal emphasised underscored PROGRAMME village communities, including paani roko the potential of rainwater harvesting in abhiyan, ek panch, ek talaab, neeru meeru, jal drought proofing the country and in poverty samvardan sammelan, and jal sanchayan eradication measures. He also underscored abhiyan, among others. the need to promote science for ecological and social security.

PUBLIC AWARENESS ACTIVITIES

Water harvesting for a drought-free future

On May 24, 2000, CSE organised a public meeting on ‘Water Harvesting for a Drought- Free Future’ in New Delhi. Anil Agarwal spoke on rainwater harvesting’s contributions to drought-proofing. Others who addressed the meeting included: Sunita Narain, CSE director; R N Athavale, emeritus scientist, National Geophysical Research Institute; and Rajendra Singh, secretary, Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS). The overwhelming response to the public meeting indicated the growing interest and consciousness among the people towards water harvesting.

Drought? Try capturing the rain: A how-to guide for parliamentarians and legislators

In June 2000, CSE published a briefing paper for Members of Parliament and state legislators titled, Drought? Try capturing the rain, Anil Agarwal addressing state Governors and Union Ministers

Annual Report 2000-2002 23 Policy Research and Advocacy

World Water Forum

CSE participated in the 2nd World Water Forum held in The Hague in March 2000. A group of practitoners organised a workshop on community-based water harvesting. The Forum was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh. CSE put up a stall at the exhibition and also screened three films on the watershed mission programme in Madhya Pradesh, on the revival of the Arvari river and a film on the river Yamuna. CSE also participated in the Youth World Water Forum, formed as a part of the WWF 2, in Hogeschol Zeeland, Vlissengen, The Netherlands. A half-day workshop on community- based water harvesting was organised for students, which was followed by a panel discussion. Water Asia 2000: CSE’s stall on water harvesting Website on water harvesting

Exhibition in Water Asia A website on water harvesting was launched on March 23, 2001 by Debi Prasad Mishra, Health CSE participated in the Water Asia 2000 Minister, Orissa government and S P Gadhwi, exhibition held at Delhi’s Pragati Maidan from Member of Parliament from Bhuj, Gujarat. The September 18-20, 2000. Among the numerous website, www.rainwaterharvesting.org, serves exhibits displaying wastewater treatment as a repository of information about the technologies from Japan, the US, Italy and National Water Harvesters Network (NWHN), other countries, CSE spread the message of and is a comprehensive reference for water community management of water with simple harvesting-related materials. down-to-earth technologies. Online resources range from a list of Visitors were shown films on water facilitators across India willing to help others harvesting. Eminent dignitaries who visited begin water harvesting projects to a catalogue of the stall included the Ambassador of the articles and water harvesting-related news. Delegation of the European Commission, the Among the several helpful features is a statistics Counsellor of the Development of the Swedish section that compiles data that CSE has culled International Development Agency (SIDA) and from numerous sources. representatives of the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). Rainwater International 2001

Monitoring government efforts CSE members made a keynote presentation on community-based water management at the In September 2000, two CSE researchers spent Rainwater International 2001 at Mannheim, a month each in Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh, Germany, from September 10 –14, 2001. CSE, whose governments had undertaken crash together with a group of leading Indian water programmes to build and revitalise water harvesting practitioners and experts, partici- harvesting systems during the drought months pated in all the sessions of the conference and from May to July. The researchers’ reports on made presentations to raise awareness about the effectiveness of these schemes were based Indian experiences in water harvesting for on site visits to villages and interviews with rural regeneration. CSE also organised a small senior officials, politicians, NGOs and village exhibition of digital panels detailing Southern community leaders. perspectives on water harvesting. The survey revealed that the Gujarat government has shown considerable progress Nature Mela at Dilli Haat towards community-based water manage- ment. The Gujarat government has constructed CSE opened a stall at the Nature Mela (fair) at more than 10,000 check dams within a Dilli Haat from February 1–14, 2002. The short span of four months by involving local mela was organised by Dastkar, a New Delhi- communities. However, the work of the based NGO. The exhibition consisted of government of Andhra Pradesh required more exhibits on rural and urban water harvesting intensive community participation in order to systems. A model of the kundi, a traditional be effective and sustainable. An analytical water harvesting system widely used in feature about these initiatives was published in Rajasthan, was displayed along with a poster Down To Earth in October 2000. series on rural and urban rainwater harvesting.

24 Annual Report 2000-2002 Darewadi inAhmednagardistrict and movedontoShilvirivillage areas inMaharashtra.They The First CSE’s thirdp The Third a commoninterestinwaterissues. journalists socialscientistsandgovernmentadministratorswith diverse backgroundsandincludedscientistsdoctors,architects, Agro IndustriesFoundation(BAIF).Theparticipantswerefrom under theguidanceofTarun BharatSangh(TBS)andBharatiya showcase theworkofcommunitiesineffective waterharvesting 2001 toAlwarandBundidistrictsofRajasthan.Thiswas CSE organisedthesecond The Second effort ofthepeopleGujaratwaswidelyreported. from thenationaldailiesjoined yatra wasorganisedforjournalistsandalargenumberofthem in threedistrictsofGujarat—Dahod,Rajkot,andAmreli.The highlighted thecommunityinitiativestakeninharvestingwater to thePanchmahalandSaurashtraregionsofGujarat.The In May2001,thepeakofdrought,CSEorganiseda mental organisation Tarun BharatSangh(TBS). headed byRajendraSinghofthenon-govern- group called pants pledgedsupportandformedaninformal each ofIndia’s half-a-millionvillages,partici- Agarwal’s calltonurtureawaterharvesterfrom or proceedontheirown.Respondingto Anil communities shouldworkwiththegovernment their experiencesaboutwaterharvesting. Tamil NaduandRajasthan—gatheredtoshare from fourstates—MadhyaPradesh,Gujarat, village inmywords),wherewaterharvesters gaon kikahani,merizubani CSE organised atwo-dayconference,‘ Krishi Sammelan RESEARCH ANDADVOCACY The On Water’sTrail: community basedwatermanagement.RepresentativesfromBangladesh,Italy, andSwedenalsoattended. and enhancedtheirunderstandingonwaterrelatedissues.The training toolforthepractitioners.The paani yatras, Participants debatedthemeritsofwhether Paani Yatra Paani Paani Yatra aani yatra Jal Biradiri Yatra —July2001 initiated byCSEtoraiseawarenessaboutthecommunity-basedwatermanagement,haveprovedbeagreat — May2000 Paani Yatras from July8-14,2001saw — February2001 paani yatra (water community), atra (thestoryofmy ’ commenced fromthevillage yatra yatris from February24-28, . Consequentlythe Meri felt these yatris paani yatra visit rural Jal biradarimeeting yatras yatra yatris afforded themopportunitiesofinteractionthroughdiverselevels The Fourth country senttheirrepresentativestoparticipateinthe numberoforganisationsfromalloverthe Annasaheb Hazare.A work accomplishedbythepeopleunderleadershipof visited RaleganSiddhivillagetowitnessthewaterharvesting in AkolatehsilandculminatedatHivareBazaar. Water pilgrims The Fifth worthwhile developmenteffort andprogress. drinking waterevenduringthepeaksummermonths. the riverbedimmediatelybelowcheckdams,hadaccessto observed localinitiativeofthevillagerswho,bydiggingwellsin Foundation andUtthaninDahodJadejaRajkot. pilgrimage. Y Bangladesh, Italy, SwedenandIndiaparticipatedinthewater nesssed internationalparticipation.Twenty-one peoplefrom harvesting incontrollingruralpovertyGujarat.The 3, 2002witnessedtheroleofcommunity-basedrainwater Yatris For thefourth their communities. Rajasthan towitnesstheefforts ofvillagerstodrought proof realised thattheonlyeffective solutiontodroughtproofing is attending CSE’s fifth Paani Yatra Paani Yatra atris paani yatra Yatris witnessed theefforts ofNMSadguru — January-February2002 — October2001 from October6-8,2001, learnt waterharvestingiskeytoany paani yatra from January27-February Annual Report2000-2002 yatris Yatra yatra visited Yatris . wit- 25 PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS Policy Research and Advocacy

new delhi

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh released the book in March 2001, CSE director Sunita Narain, BJP MP from Bhuj, S P Gadhvi, Orissa health minister Debiprasad Mishra, CSE coordinator Indira Khurana and CSE chairperson Anil Agarwal look on.

indore

Digvijay Singh releasing CSE’s new water book in Indore

jaipur

Anil Agarwal released the book at Neemi in Jaipur in May 2001

26 Annual Report 2000-2002 udaipur commisioner JagatMehta nlAawl Saini, Anil Agarwal,OP Rajasthan inJuly2001, freedom fighterandso at thereleasefunction Balwant SinghMehta, the bookinUdaipur, cial activistreleased in Udaipur colombo June 2001 releasing thebookinRanchi Prabhat Singh,GovernorJharkhand, the waterbookinColombo June2001 and Water Resources,SriLankareleased Sarath Amunugama,Minister for Irrigation ranchi Annual Report2000-2002 27 PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS Policy Research and Advocacy

Making Water Everybody’s Business April 21-23, 2001, where more than 5000 villagers who were referred to as jal yoddhas CSE’s publication, Making Water Everybody’s (water warriors), from 23 states, including Business, is a comprehensive book on water Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya harvesting for water planners and others Pradesh, Gujurat, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan, interested in water harvesting. The book among others, participated. provides information on the policy, practice The conference initiated a national and social mobilisation strategies needed strategy to encourage the jal biradari to to start a movement on water harvesting. The create a national participatory water efforts of different governments, non-govern- movement with CSE as its Central Secretariat. mental organisations, and community groups Delegates from civil society and jal biradari in rural and urban rainwater harvesting have members prepared a blueprint for a water also been detailed. Also highlighted are the revolution. The jal biradari, together with severe droughts of 1999-2000 and the members from all the states pledged to successful rainwater harvesting initiatives of provide impetus to grassroots water harvesting the Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh and Madhya initiatives. Pradesh governments. Later, meetings to mobilise rural popula- tions were also held in Gujarat, Himachal Rashtriya Jal Sammelan (National Water Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. Conference) The Lava Ka Baas campaign CSE organised a three-day national conference at the Neemi village near Jaipur in collabora- CSE played a key role in saving the water tion with Tarun Bharat Sangh (TBS) from harvesting structure at Lava ka Bas in Rajasthan’s Alwar district. The district administration had declared Book Releases illegal the johad (earthen check dam) built by the community over the river Ruparel CSE, in collaboration with friends and partners, released Making Water Everybody’s close to the village. The earthen dam was Business in cities across the country and in South Asia. The book elicited wide media slated to be demolished when CSE made response, helped generate awareness and ensured a wider membership of the water hectic efforts to convince the Rajasthan harvesters’ network. Chief Minister to withdraw the demolition order. Date & Place NGO Released by Concerned about the attempt to demolish March 23, 2001, CSE Digvijay Singh, Chief Minister, the rain recharge structure, CSE brought New Delhi Madhya Pradesh together leading hydrologists and irrigation experts to demonstrate to government officials May 15, 2001, Nepal Water Conservation Navin Prakash Jung Shah, Kathmandu, Nepal Foundation Vice Chancellor, that the dam was a safe structure and Tribhuvan University, Nepal would not deprive downstream villages of water. A committee of eminent persons May 22, 2001, Tarun Bharat Sangh Anil Agarwal, Chairperson, Neemi, Rajasthan CSE, New Delhi was also instituted to dispute the reasons cited by the government for demolishing the May 25, 2001, Mayaram Surjan Foundation, Ramchandra Singh Deo, structure. Raipur, Chattisgarh Raipur Rotary Club Finance Minister, Chattisgarh Committee members included M S June 5, 2001, Nai Duniya Digvijay Singh, Chief Minister, Swaminathan, eminent agricultural scientist; Indore, Madhya Pradesh Madhya Pradesh N C Saxena, Secretary to the government of June 12, 2001, Prabhat Khaber Prabhat Singh, Governor, India; M C Chaturvedi, water expert; G Mohan Ranchi, Jharkhand Jharkand Gopal, Director, National Law School June 12, 2001, Intermediate Technology Sarath Amunugama, Minister University; Om Thanvi, Chief Editor, Jansatta; Colombo, Sri Lanka Group, South Asia for Irrigation and Water Anil Agarwal, CSE Chairperson; and Sunita Resources Narain, CSE Director. July 10, 2001, Jheel Sanrakshan Samiti Balwant Mehta, freedom fighter On July 19, 2001, the committee visited Udaipur, Rajasthan Bhartiya Lok Kala Mandal and social activist Lava Ka Baas. Members interacted with villagers, TBS workers and district officials, July 16, 2001, Indian Water Society, T M Jacob, Irrigation Minister, Thiruvananthapuram, Calicut Kerala including the district magistrate, Tanmay Kerala Kumar. These micro-level meetings were July 17, 2001, Dhan Foundation, District Anil Agarwal, Chairperson, followed by talks with Ashok Gehlot, the Madurai, Tamil Nadu Tank Farmers Federation CSE, New Delhi Rajasthan Chief Minister. In the final leg of July 21, 2001, Rotary Inner Wheel Club R Ganapathi, Rotary Governor their visit, committee members presented their Chennai, Tamil Nadu findings and opinions at a press conference July 31, 2001, Pune, Indian water works M S Swaminathan, noted organised by CSE with the help of the Institute Maharashtra association agricultural scientist of Development Studies in Jaipur. The findings August 24, 2001, Yuvsatta Lt. Gen (Retd.) Jacob, Governor and views of the delegation were compiled Chandigarh Punjab and Chandigarh in a 12-page report, Jal Swaraj (Water Independence).

28 Annual Report 2000-2002 and HaryanaUrbanDevelopment Authority. the PublicHealthEngineering Department development officersaswell as engineersof members ofmunicipalcouncils, block the workshopwhichincluded thesarpanches, diversified groupofparticipantsattended A 2001, attheCSEofficeinTughlakhabad. Institutions wasorganised onSeptember11, and membersofthePanchayatiRaj harvesting systemsandcosting. the principles,techniques,designofrainwater meeting. Resource personsfromCSEdiscussed coloniesand20RWAs attendedthe DDA Representatives oftheapexassociation several RWAs inDelhionJune17,2001. nity, CSEorganised anotherworkshopfor inputs ondesignandcosting. principles andtechniquesinvolvedwith importance ofrainwaterharvestingandthe participated. CSEengineersunderscoredthe (RWA) members resident welfareassociation officials, engineers,architects, andseveral Authorityinwhichgovernment NOIDA 2001 wasorganised jointlybyCSEandthe attended theworkshop. Materials, andTechnology PromotionCouncil Corporation Limited(NBCC),Building Guard (NSG),NationalBuildingConstruction Corporation (HUDCO),NationalSecurity RITES, HousingandUrbanDevelopment (HSIDC), CentralPublicWorks Department, State IndustrialDevelopmentCorporation Authority, Haryana Authority (DDA),NOIDA representatives fromtheDelhiDevelopment Apart frompracticingarchitects inDelhi, 2001 forDelhi’s architects andengineers. into consideration. have animpactonwateralsotobetaken problems suchasatmosphericpollutionthat water issuesinisolationandthatother pointed outthatitisnotsufficienttodealwith designing andconstructingbuildings. Bangalore; bothofwhomareinvolvedwith Chennai; andSVishwanath, engineer-planner, Director, RajparisCivilConstructionsLtd, riences includedRJeyakumar, Managing attended. Speakersinvitedtosharetheirexpe- Corporation Ltd,andEngineersIndiaalso Department, NationalBuildingsConstruction Development Authority, CentralPublicWorks with numerousorganisations, includingDelhi also releasedattheworkshop. Harvesting Manual" engineers onJune12,2000.The" harvesting forarchitects, builders,and CSE organised itsfirstworkshoponwater CSE workshops BUILDING CAPACITY workshopforthegovernment officials A As anefforttoreachtheresidentcommu- onJune15, Another workshopinNOIDA briefingworkshopwasheldonMay1, A CSE Director, thelate Anil Agarwal Several buildersandarchitects together published byCSEwas Urban Water are alsoincluded. harvesting systemsdesignedby CSEinDelhi of waterharvesting.Casestudies ofwater It explainsvariousmethods and techniques ments, residences,institutions, andindustries. suitable mainlyforsinglebuilding-establish- published. Themanualincludesmethods the waterharvestingrequirementswas A A and urbancontexts. numerous waterconservationmethodsinrural scenario invariousstatesandexplained harvesting legislation,thecurrentdrought 2001. CSEpersonneldiscussedwater presentation onwaterharvestingJune16, ment think-tank,invitedCSEtomakea Khazana, Delhi. rainwater harvestingtoslumdwellersatKatha 2001, CSEengineersgaveapresentationon Indian Air Force onJune1,2001. organised bytheWestern Air Commandofthe on rainwaterharvestingattheworkshop were invitedasresource persons. and CentralGroundWater Board(CGWB) 2001 inNewDelhi.RepresentativesfromCSE Vasant Vihar Welfare Association onMay5, Rewa onMay3,2001. April 27,2001;atGwalioron April 29;andat also participatedinworkshopsIndoreon Drinking Water Mission.CSEengineers workshops organised bytheRajivGandhi organised byotherinstitutions: resource personsinseveralworkshops Besides these,CSEstaffparticipatedas Sharing theexpertise Germany. UmwelttechnikGmbH, Klaus WKoenig, FAKT, Germany;and GEP Germany; HansHartung, Wilhelm, Boelhover, Aqua Sure,Netherlands;Christian ParticipantsincludedWillem P itation. recycling andecosan- cation, greywater harvesting andpurifi- ences onrainwater shared theirexperi- from Europe,who neers andpractitioners water harvestingengi- attended byseveral workshop wasalso tects andbuilders.The for engineers,archi- urban waterharvesting technical workshopon 2001, CSEorganised a Water HarvestingManual Water HarvestingManual On February6, The SuryaFoundation,aruraldevelop- On World EnvironmentDay, June5, CSE wasrequestedtomakeapresentation similarworkshopwasorganised bythe A CSE engineersparticipatedinthe that catalogues Annual Report2000-2002 29 PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS Policy Research and Advocacy

NETWORKING searching for ways to popularise rainwater harvesting as a simple and effective solution to Catch Water: A bi-monthly newsletter alleviate Chennai’s chronic water scarcity. The following workshops and seminars were To keep those interested in water issues organised to create awareness among various informed on latest developments, CSE publishes civic groups: Catch Water, a bi-monthly newsletter. In addi- • A civic meet was organised on rainwater tion to English, the newsletter is also available harvesting at the Madras Institute of in Gujarati, Tamil and Hindi. The newsletter Development Studies, Chennai on August promotes the exchange of experiences at the 4, 2001, which A Vaidyanathan, chaired. grassroots level and provides ordinary citizens This meet was to facilitate an interactive a platform to raise concerns and search for network among various civic groups region-specific solutions. involved in rainwater harvesting. • A release function for Siruthuli Water Links: The network database (Tamil-language version of Catch Water) was organised at the Madras Institute CSE published the second edition of Water of Development Studies on November Links in January 2001 after the overwhelming 20, 2001. Shantha Sheela Nair, Secretary response to Water Links–1, a comprehensive of the Municipal Administration and directory of water harvesters in India and Water Supply Department, Tamil Nadu abroad. Water Links–2, a fully revised government, released the bimonthly and updated edition, includes a database of newsletter; persons and institutions involved in water • A one-day training workshop was organ- harvesting management. Details of relevant ised for the plumbers, on December 9, professionals, donor agencies, grassroots- 2001, at Corporation School in Chennai; organisations, scientists, engineers, builders, • The German team headed by Hans and irrigation economists are included. The Hartung, visited Chennai from February new directory is divided into two sections — 2- 4, 2002, to document rainwater har- India and International — and lists the contact vesting structures in houses, apartments, details, areas of expertise and scale of work of industries and in public places in the city. more than 800 persons. • The Steering Committee meeting was held in Madras Institute of Development Expanding horizons: The Chennai unit Studies on February 12, 2002. Committee members who attended the meeting The Tamil Nadu unit of the National Water included A Vaidyanathan, R Jeyakumar, Harvester’s Network (NWHN) was established Shekar Raghavan, R Ramani and in April 1999 with Dr A Vaidyanathan as its S Ramakrishnan. Guests who attended chairperson. To keep pace with the work and the meeting included DV Subramanian to assist Dr Vaidyanathan, CSE has employed and Feroz Ahmed, reporter with The a full time expert. NWHN has been constantly Hindu.

Doing the right thing: Feedback

Response to the Paani Yatras “The yatra gave me a wider outlook into the issues relating to “The Yatra taught me that while it is important to engage critically water harvesting that go beyond technicalities, such as its operation through research, one must not forget to appreciate the work and sustenance with a social perspective,” Dr. Shrinivas Badiger, being done by individuals and organisations in their own ways,” scientist, International Water Management Institute, Sri Lanka. Radhika Gupta, Program Officer, Winrock International India. “Without community participation, it is not possible to “A lifetime experience to see how commitment of individuals protect water resources and trees,” Dr. Vimal Bhanot, Professor of can achieve wonders,” Vijay Bhangar, HRD consultant, Ion Electrical Engineering, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Exchange India Ltd. Technology, Patiala, Punjab. “The greatest learning being that water is not a scarce resource “People’s participation and support for organisation’s like but is grossly mismanaged,” Shakeb Nabi, field officer, CARE India. TBS and GVNML are essential factors that make technology work “Without people’s participation and involvement no change at the village level,” Dr Narendra Shah, Engineer, Indian Institute is possible in their lives,” S Vishwanath, B E Civil, Urban and of Technology, Mumbai, Maharashtra. Regional Planner. “This yatra has helped me a lot in understanding the “Make water everybody’s business’ should become a mass importance of water management and its influence on the movement,” Dr Chandrakala Malpani, gynaecologist. socio-economic and cultural values of the society. Now I am fully “We have understood water harvesting practices in these convinced that drought is a myth,” Gunjan Pratap Singh, Activist, areas and can now spread this knowledge in our area,” MSN Raju, Natural Resource Manager, BREDS, Orissa. Taru - Mitra, Patna, Bihar. “It has helped me understand the role played by social mobil- “It is a traditional wisdom and future technology that needs isation. The people themselves can work wonders even if the gov- support from both the public and government alike,” Ashok K ernment does not help,” Daksha Hathi, journalist, Deccan Herald Dwivedi, National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, Uttar Pradesh.

30 Annual Report 2000-2002 GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL in New York City, where it was nominated on GOVERNANCE the International Steering Group to coordinate global NGO action on WSSD. Since the early 1990s, when the growing internationalisation of environmental issues THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL resulted in an effort to establish a framework NEGOTIATIONS REPORTS for a system of global environmental manage- ment, CSE has been playing an active role in Release of Green Politics articulating the concerns of the South in several Much of the year 2000-2001 was spent international meetings. CSE has been consis- organising meetings in several cities across tently campaigning that this new framework of the world to release Green Politics, the first global environmental governance be driven report on Global Environmental Negotiations by equity, democracy and social justice. (GEN-I). The meetings provided a forum To strengthen the hands of the Southern for Southern nations to communicate ideas negotiators and civil society, CSE's Global contained in the book to Northern audiences Environmental Governance Unit (GEG) and to create an understanding of the produces the State of Global Environmental perspectives and needs of the poor and the Negotiations reports. CSE’s first and the marginalised in a globalised world. second reports produced in the last two years, Green Politics and Poles Apart, have Poles Apart — the second Global provided analysis and policies for govern- Environmental Negotiations report ments and civil society to engage in global (GEN –II) debates. As part of its work on global environ- mental governance, CSE has been campaign- Poles Apart, the GEN-II report, was published ing for equity in climate change issues. in August 2001. The report continues the Today, CSE is considered a reference agenda of the earlier report and also includes point in articulating Southern priorities analyses of five new negotiations. Poles Apart on global environmental issues. In the run also provides updates on the negotiations that up to the World Summit on Sustainable were featured in the earlier report. These Development (WSSD), CSE was elected to include: lead the NGOs of the South Asian region in • The Vienna Convention for the protection forming a position for WSSD during the of the ozone layer and the Montreal sub-regional meeting in Phnom Penh, Protocol on substances that deplete the Cambodia, in November 2001. CSE was also ozone layer; elected to represent South Asia at Prep Com II • The Basel Convention on the control of HIGHLIGHTS PROGRAMME

Release meetings of the book, Green Politics

Date City Country Partners who helped to organise the release meeting April 13, 2000 Massachusetts USA MIT-Sangam, PAKSMIT, SAVE, AID-Boston, Mexico City Project, CEES (BU), Institute of Technology and Social Justice Cooperative April 14, 2000 Princeton University USA Deepak Mulghan, Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs April 17, 2000 Yale University USA Arun Agrawal and Aarti Gupta, Department of South Asian Studies April 17, 2000 Amherst University USA Yogesh Chandrani, the Five College Program in Peace and World Security Studies, Hampshire College April 17, 2000 Stanford University USA Dr Armin Rocencranz, Stanford Law School, Stanford University April 18 and 20, 2000 University of California USA Jeff Romm and Kevin Rudiger, California, UCLA Los Angeles April 19, 2000 Washington DC USA The Heinrich Boll Foundation, Washington, DC April 20, 2000 American University USA Paul Wapner, Professor, and Geoff Dabelko from the Woodrow Wilson Centre April 24, 2000 Emory University USA Ujjayant Chakravarty, Environmental Studies Department April 25, 2000 New York City USA CSE at the meeting of the Commission on Sustainable Development-8 at the UN building in New York City June 15, 2000 Brussels Belgium The Heinrich Boll Foundation July 3, 2000 Amsterdam The Netherlands Inzet and The Transnational Institute July 5, 2000 Dhaka Bangladesh IUCN-Bangladesh August 17, 2000 London UK Institute of Environment and Development September 15, 2000 Kathmandu Nepal IUCN-Nepal September 22, 2000 Mumbai India The Bombay Natural History Society October 13, 2000 New Delhi India CSE February 5, 2001 Johannesburg South Africa South African Interim NGO Caucus, Earth Summit 2002

Annual Report 2000-2002 31 Policy Research and Advocacy

Changing mindsets

The release meetings of the book, Green Politics, were presided over by eminent people in the field of environment, development and global politics, including European Union parliamentarian Anders Wijkman, Nobel Prize winner Mario Molina, US negotiator Richard Benedick, and noted environ- mental writer Hillary French. In New Delhi, the President of India, K R Narayanan called Green Politics a “vital book” at the book release ceremony. In the United States, Green Politics has been incorporated as a course book at Boston University, and is included as recommended reading for all environment and development students at the American University. Copies of the report were sent to eminent world leaders including Bill Clinton, Nelson Mandela, and the German Chancellor — all of whom responded favourably. Civil society groups around the world, particularly those in the US, have also reacted positively to the book’s message, which calls for democracy in global environmental negotiations.

transboundary movements of hazardous considerable pre-CoP publicity, calling it “a wastes and their disposal; site to watch out for during the negotiations”. • The Convention on the Prior Informed Adil Najam, professor at the Department of Consent Procedure for certain hazardous International Relations and Centre for Energy chemicals and pesticides in international and Environmental Studies, Boston University, trade; and, wrote to say he had made the site “essential • Åarhus: Convention on access to informa- reading” for his students during the CoP. tion, public participation in decision- making, and access to justice in environ- Side event on equity mental matters, and Commission on CSE also organised a side event in which the Sustainable Development (CSD). Finnish Minister for Environment, Satu Hassi, Green Politics and Poles Apart together are and the spokesperson for the German Greens, invaluable resource materials for building Reinhard Loske, participated. Following this capacities to understand global environmental event, the French President Jacques Chirac, in issues. his speech at the CoP-6 said that the ultimate objective of the negotiations should be “the CSE at CoP-6 at The Hague convergence of per capita emissions”. After several years of advocating equity in Equity Watch: The Southern newsletter climate change negotiations, CSE was glad to CSE participated in the Conference of Parties note that there were several groups who now (CoP-6) meeting in The Hague from November believed per capita emission entitlements 18-24, 2000, where it published a newsletter, must be made the basis for climate change Equity Watch. Five editions of the newsletter negotiations. were produced and distributed during the con- The Danish and the Swedish ministers ference. The newsletter was extremely popular also came out strongly in support of the idea. and attracted many young volunteers who While US-based NGOs generally support the offered their help. US position internationally, several US-based CSE also created a separate website NGOs strongly supported the idea. Paul Bauer for the conference, www.equitywatch.org. of EcoEquity wrote that the goal of his organi- The New Scientist magazine gave the website sation now was to help people come out in support of per capita equity position.

Forging Southern unity in preparation for WSSD

With the World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) scheduled for September 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa, GEG activities centred on building capacities in South Asia to participate more effectively in the Summit.

Information dissemination activities In order to keep South Asia network participants informed, and to allow for discussions and exchange of opinions, CSE set up two e-mail CSE staff at CoP-6 meeting in the Hague discussion groups, one for India and another for

32 Annual Report 2000-2002 South Asia. These discussion groups stimulated Climatic loophole: Reported that ‘sinks’ can much debate and discussion on Southern now be potentially identified as the most priorities at the WSSD. dangerous loophole for the environmental Two briefing papers on climate change integrity of the Kyoto Protocol. issues were also prepared and disseminated. A briefing paper on a proposal put forward Equity first: The article suggested the only by CoP-6 Chairperson Jan Pronk just before way to a lasting international climate treaty is CoP-6-bis in Bonn, was produced and dissem- to accept equal rights for all human beings to inated at the CoP-6-bis. Another briefing paper release greenhouse gases. focused attention on climate change impacts and problems in the state of Orissa. Whose Carbon hypocrisy? Reported that CSE produced a reader-friendly and several Northern groups are now urging concise set of factsheets on the various their governments to influence international environmental negotiations. These factsheets, financial institutions to stop funding for fossil translated into several regional languages fuel projects in the South as a means of including Hindi, Oriya, Malayalam, Bengali climate change mitigation. and Nepali, were used as resource materials for capacity-building workshops organised by Hold up: Analysed the suspended climate CSE as part of the preparatory process for negotiations –– the stage seems set for another WSSD. The factsheets were also widely dis- climate meeting to serve the economic seminated to negotiators, NGOs, academics interests of the US better than address the and other groups in India, South Asia and the threat of global warming. rest of the developing world. CSE established a special section on Indecent proposal: Detailed how the new global environmental governance in the CSE compromise proposal recently released by Jan website, which was used extensively to Pronk, chairperson of the climate change keep collaborators regularly informed by talks, offers too many sops to the US. summarised WSSD-related documents. The website was also used to provide political Pact politics: Analyses the making or breaking analyses of the process to network members. of the Kyoto pact, as the European Union strives to enforce the Kyoto Protocol without Networking with South Asian NGOs the US. The South could play a crucial role to CSE organised a two-day meeting of South push for a fair treaty. Asian NGOs in New Delhi from November 22- 23, 2001 that marked the beginning of the Rescued or doomed?: Reports on the Cop-6 HIGHLIGHTS WSSD preparatory process. About 25 groups meeting on climate change convention PROGRAMME agreed to work together to raise awareness on resumed at Bonn, Germany, from July 16-27. global environmental governance issues and to Nations adopted a diluted agreement on get more involved in the negotiations process. implementing the Kyoto Protocol that gives Local groups agreed to organise meetings to too many concessions to polluting countries. raise awareness about these issues. Similarly, CSE collaborated with the Deal or no deal and victory of multilateral- Indian Network on Ethics and Climate Change ism: Reported the net result of the Bonn (INECC) and the Orissa Development Action agreement is that the Kyoto Protocol is now Forum (ODAF) to organise a meeting in even more of a paper victory, and that it Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, from March favoured industrialised countries. 22-23, 2001 to create awareness about the WSSD process. Here, CSE factsheets were translated into Oriya and widely disseminated. CSE was also invited to advice NGOs in other parts of the developing world on the Rio+10 preparatory process. At a meeting held in Johannesburg, South Africa, CSE was invited to flag-off African NGO activities towards Rio+10 by defining the parameters of Southern civil societies over the next few months. CSE members also attended a meeting organized by the Heinrich Boll Foundation on the preparatory process at Bangkok, Thailand.

Global reportage

The Global Environmental Governance unit continued to research and report on international environmental issues. The following reports were published in Down To Earth magazine:

Annual Report 2000-2002 33 Policy Research and Advocacy

INDUSTRY AND ENVIRONMENT the environmental management policies of large companies, focusing on their environ- The Green Rating Project (GRP) is a pioneering ment management systems and corporate effort that motivates industries to take volun- stewardship. Companies will be compared tary measures towards good environment across sectors. management. It does this by undertaking a sectoral rating of environmental performance Sectoral ratings of environmental of large industrial undertakings and then performance disseminating the results widely. Public opinion is a powerful tool to Rating the chlor-alkali sector influence industry to better its environmental The sector was chosen because the products practices. GRP is an attempt to present a of this industry — chlorine and caustic soda — market- oriented framework by which the are used as raw materials by almost all environmental impact of industrialisation chemical industries. Rating of this industry will can be measured and monitored. As a reputa- therefore provide a good basis to judge the tion incentive programme, it rates the environ- environmental impact of the chemical sector mental performance of companies within as a whole. An 'issues paper' was produced specific sectors. and a technical advisory panel constituted. As part of the incentive programme, the The panel consists of A K Rao, former director Green Leaves Award is given by CSE in corporate affairs, Ranbaxy Laboratory Ltd; recognition of the rating achieved by Dr N J Rao, professor, IIT Roorke and industries on the basis of their environmental Dr K V Raghavan, director, Indian Institute of performance in various sectors. Chemical Technology, Hyderabad. GRP’s first project in 1999 was to rate the The environmental rating of the pulp and paper sector, which elicited enthusi- chlor–alkali sector will be completed by astic response from the industry. Subsequently, July 2002. Currently the project is in its final the project rated the automobile sector, and is stage. The final ratings based on information now rating the chlor-alkali sector. collected from companies are currently being In 2001, CSE released the ratings for the evaluated and compiled. automobile sector, which received wide acclaim and response from the auto industry. Rating the automobile sector The automobile-rating project closely scruti- Work on the rating of automobile sector began nised the manufacturing process, technology, with the preparation of an issues paper. incentive mechanisms for manufacturers, and A Technical Advisory Panel (TAP) was consti- the government’s regulatory role. A detailed tuted, which consisted of Dr H B Mathur, assessment of fuel efficiencies and emission retired professor, Mechanical Engineering controls was also made for all products and Department, IIT, Delhi; Dr B P Pundir, professor, segments. IIT, Kanpur; and Professor M M Mehta, Dr Manmohan Singh, former Finance Managing Director, Maharishi Technology Minister of India, released the automobile Corporation Ltd. The rating criteria and ratings at a public function in New Delhi on weightages for the rating process were October 29, 2001. This was followed by a finalised by the unit with the help of the workshop on March 5, 2002 for the auto Technical Advisory Panel members. industry to provide information on conversion Twenty-nine automobile companies were to environment-friendly practices. selected for the study. Voluntary participation The chlor-alkali sector rating is currently from the auto sector was good; almost all underway. GRP has also embarked on rating the companies except three participated voluntarily. Primary survey visits were undertaken to check on the industries’ environmental facilities. This was followed by a feedback phase where the auto companies verified the information collected. India’s first environmental and most comprehensive rating of the automobile sector was released by Dr Manmohan Singh, former Finance Minister, at a public function in New Delhi. Dr R A Mashelkar, Director-General, Council Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, chaired the function. The release function was well attended by auto- mobile manufacturers, dealers, associations, funding agencies and the specialised automo- bile media, representing a wide spectrum of the automobile sector. Brij Lal Munjal, Chairperson of Hero Green rating project — release function Honda Motors Ltd; A P Gandhi, President,

34 Annual Report 2000-2002 Leyland) Worst bus—Diesel-fuelledComet1611 (Ashok Best bus—Viking CNG(AshokLeyland) Mass Transport Vehicles (Royal Enfield) Worst —Safari(KineticEngineering)andBullet Honda) Best —Chetak(Bajaj Auto) andSplendour(Hero Two Wheelers and Armada (MahindraandMahindra) Worst overall— Ambassador (HindustanMotors) Best multi-utilityvehicle—Toyota Qualis(EuroII) Best dieselpassengercar—Mercedes BenzE220 Most fuel-efficientdieselcar—MitsubishiLancer Cars and CD-100 Santro (HyundaiMotors),HeroHondaSplendour Matiz (DaewooMotors),Maruti800(EuroII), Auto products Daewoo, HyundaiandGeneralMotors Three companieswereratedbestoverall– Automobile ratingscorecard for reportingonenvironmental andsocial society ondevelopingacommon framework feedback fromSouth Asian industryand civil The objectiveofthebriefing wastoelicit meet inNewDelhionSeptember 25,2000. Reporting Initiative(GRI)South Asia Briefing CSE wasoneoftheco-organisers oftheGlobal South Asianindustry–globalreporting Networking withindustry already beencompleted. Rating andanalysisfor130companieshas the remaining15arepublicsectorcompanies. companies representtheprivatesectorand voluntarily participating.Ofthese,133 the project,ofwhich148companiesare 150 topIndiancompaniesareincludedin comparison acrossvarioussectors. Around environmental stewardship,allowingfor sectoral andinsteadexaminescorporate and managementsystems.Theratingisnot rated, basedontheirenvironmentalpolicy practices. incorporated suchenvironmental-friendly mental policiesofmajorcompaniesthathave rating projectaimstoevaluatetheenviron- The corporateenvironmentperformance Corporate environmentperformancerating present forthereleasefunction. were amongthemanyindustryrepresentatives Managing Director, GeneralMotorsIndia, Hyundai MotorsIndiaLtd;and Aditya Vij, Top companiesofthecountryarebeing award. and short-listingnomineeseligible forthe The unitisatpresentcompiling information 88 nominationshavealready beenreceived. the helpofanexpertpanel. Around the responses,nomineesareratedwith questionnaire issenttonominees.Basedon the company. implement viableenvironmentalinitiativesin it isuptotheenvironmentmanager economy andenvironmentgohandinhand, environmental friendlynorms. As the for makingthecompanyadoptandpractice environment managerislargely responsible company’s the environmentmanager. A the country, inordertorecognisetheefforts of started thisaward,thefirstofitskindin Environment Managersofcompanies.CSE recognition toinitiativesundertakenby Environment Performanceprojecttogive has beeninstitutedundertheCorporate The BestEnvironmentManager’s Award (EMA) The BestEnvironmentManager’sAward attended theworkshop. pollution controlboardandotherinstitutions tutions, non-governmentalorganisations, the industry, governmentofficials,financialinsti- rating methodologyused. mobile industryandtoobtainfeedbackonthe ing environment-friendlygrowthintheauto- compile policyrecommendationsforpromot- at theIndiaHabitatCentreinNewDelhito CSE organised aworkshoponMarch 15,2002 Follow-up workshopforautomobilesector improve theratingprocessandmethodology. about themeasuresthatcouldbetakenupto technologies. Therewerelivelydiscussions companies arealsoimplementingrecycling material procurementmechanisms.Several environment-friendly processesandraw value ofnaturalresources andareadopting companies havebecomeconsciousofthe The workshoprevealedthatmany members alsoattendedtheworkshop. associations andtheTechnical Advisory Panel at theworkshop.Representativesfrompaper tor rating.Mostcompanieswererepresented from thosewhoparticipatedinthepapersec- back oftheusefulnessratingprocess objective oftheworkshopwastoobtainfeed- organised onSeptember26,2000atCSE the pulpandpapergreenratingprojectwas workshoptodetermineprogressmadeafter A pulp sector Training workshopforthepaperand conference participantsontheconcludingday. dinnerwashostedbyCSEfortheGRI A more scepticalandneededtobepersuaded. social initiatives,industryrepresentativeswere need forreportingonenvironmentaland initiatives. Whilecivilsocietyperceived the The awardprocessissimple. A Representatives fromtheautomobile . The Annual Report2000-2002 35 PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS Policy Research and Advocacy

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH air pollution, heavy metal pollution, children’s health and emerging challenges in addressing The Environmental Health programme of CSE environmental health issues. was established to compel the government to take the issue of public health seriously. Building knowledge networks The programme aims to achieve this by The unit’s Health and Environment Newsletter documenting and creating public awareness is a networking tool that brings together of the impact of environmental change on doctors, medical scientists health professional public health. Through this programme, CSE and environmentalists. The newsletter exam- reaches out to the medical community and ines issues that affect environmental health policymakers and consults with them about and articulates the links between health and air-based health issues, including carcino- environment. The newsletter also reviews genic benzene and diesel particles. The recent studies, details various resources for programme also interacts with experts about information and includes health-related news water-based health issues, including industrial briefs. A consumer section, Product Watch, toxins, germs and pesticide residues in details the debilitating health affects of some food. CSE will regularly produce the State of products. The Book Reviews and Reader’s India’s Environmental Health, a bi-monthly Forum sections enhance interaction with newsletter, conduct public meetings and readers. The Campaigns page highlights efforts undertake research and advocacy. made by various NGOs on health and As part of this effort, the Centre estab- environment topics. Three editions of the lished a Pollution Monitoring Laboratory in newsletter have been printed and distributed 2001 to bolster the efforts of pollution activists to more than 2,500 health professionals. across the country by providing them scientific research and data on pollution. One Roundtable conference on the health of the first projects of the laboratory was a impacts of air pollution scientific survey of endosulfan residues in food, soil, water and its impact on community A Roundtable Conference was organised by health in Kerala’s Padre village. The Lab’s first CSE to present the perspectives of Dr Daniel task was triggered by a letter CSE received Green Baum, president of the Boston, from groups working in Kerala’s Kasargod US-based Health Effects Institute (HEI). district that detailed the high incidences of Dr Daniel Green Baum, spoke primarily on numerous deadly and debilitating diseases. the health affects of air pollution, mainly diesel. The prime suspect was the continuous Issues of health and environment in India were spraying of endosulfan since 1976 in Padre also discussed. Participants included media, village in the district. staff from various NGOs and members of CSE disseminated the results of the study Pollution Control Boards, among others. widely and was able to leverage immediate impact. The national media picked up the Reportage on health and environment issue and the spraying of endosulfan has now issues been partially banned in Kerala. The team researched and published reports on State of India’s Environmental Health a number of health issues.

The unit is at present working on the book, Environment and cancer State of India’s Environmental Health, CSE studied the linkages between pollution which will be published sometime in and cancer and published several reports. 2002. The book includes two main sections – The article, Silenced to death, illustrated the ‘Traditional Burden of Diseases’, or those prohibitive cost of cancer treatment and diseases and ailments that have persisted in pointed out the little medical help available to communities historically, and ‘Modern Burden the poor. The report blamed the media and the of Diseases’, or diseases that have arisen due government for their silence on the issue. A to changes in lifestyle and environment that related report, Environmental injustice, cause pollution and toxic contamination. examined in detail the relationship between Topics in the book include an introduction to environmental health, poverty and their cancer, poverty and a polluted environment. inter-linkages, vector-borne diseases with a This report was published in leading news- focus on malaria, waterborne diseases, papers including Financial Express and ambient air pollution with a focus on vehicular Hindustan Times and also in the journal, Health for Millions. Similarly, another article, Faceless figures, analysed the inadequacy of cancer research in India and underscored the difficulties in formulating preventive strategies because of the outdated and unreliable official data on cancer. The article, Genes: Dreams and reality, detailed the findings of a new Swedish study

36 Annual Report 2000-2002 Pesticidestestingintheirrigation • PesticidesresiduesinDelhi’s water • Pesticidesresiduesinbranded • Pesticidesresiduesincommercially • Pesticidesresiduesinvegetables • underway: 2001-2002, someofwhicharestill CSE undertookthefollowingtestsin HP-1 capillarycolumn. with flameionizationdetector(FID)using carbons byGasChromatography(Trace GC) Corporation, foranalysisofindividualhydro- Corporation andHindustanPetroleum Corporation Limited,BharatPetroleum connected retailoutletsofIndianOil samples fromsometerminals(depots)and instruments, analysedpetrolanddiesel equipped withstate-of-the-artanalytical CSE’s PollutionMonitoringLaboratory, Analysis offueladulteration programme inmid–2001. residues, andairwaterqualitymonitoring fully functionalandstartedtestingforpesticide CSE’s PollutionMonitoringLaboratorybecame POLLUTION MONITORINGLAB unknown fevers. crippling measurestocombatdeadlyand epidemiological studiesinthecountryis Virus attack, various environmentalfactors.Thereport, spread ofasthmaandlinkeditsoccurrenceto millions from airpollution. Another report, developing countriesareincreasinglyatrisk Institute, whichpointedoutthatchildrenin a reportpublishedbyWorld Resources children underthreat the healthofchildren. highlighting theimpactofairpollutionon CSE hasraisedconcernsaboutairpollutionby Children andhealth of theproblemtogovernmentandcitzens. studies thatconveythemagnitudeandgravity The articleunderscorestheneedforscientific when substancessuchasplasticsareburned. highly carcinogenic dioxinsthatarereleased death later carriedthisstory. Similarly, factors. The triggered butiscausedbyenvironmental that determinedcancerisnotgenetically water inDelhiandnearbyareas supply mineral water available infantformula areas and fruitsfromDelhinearby highlighted theadverseimpactsof , documentedtherapidworldwide showed howthelackofgood Business Standard reviewed thefindingsof The article,Caution— Molecules of newspaper Gasping CSE’s PollutionMonitoringLaboratory higher thantheprescribedpermissiblelimits. tions ofSPM,NOx,RSPMwereseveraltimes results showedthattheambientconcentra- the MeerutMedicalCollegehospital.Thetest city, andinasensitiveareaadjacentto near threemajortrafficintersectionsofthe quality monitoringwasundertakenatsites quality indifferentpartsofthecity. Air conducted surveystomonitorairandwater water inMeeruttown,theCSElaboratory NGO leadingacampaignforcleanairand At therequestofJanhitFoundation,an Air andwaterqualitymonitoringinMeerut limits prescribedforsuchlocations. tently highmostofthetime,andexceed ambient particulatematterlevelsareconsis- uous 24-hourbasis.Theresultsshowthatthe (NO particulate matter(RSPM),oxidesofnitrogen pended particulatematter(SPM),respirable undertaking airqualitymonitoringforsus- Board isnotmonitoringthisarea,CSE institutions. As theCentralPollutionControl leading hospitalandseveraleducational becauseoftheproximitya ‘sensitive area’ Tughlakabad, asitethatisclassifiedas undertakes airqualitymonitoringat To strengthenitsClean Air campaign,CSE Air qualitymonitoringatTughlakabad to adulterationwithasolvent. that intheconnecteddepot.Thismaybedue 13 timesashighintheretailoutletsample high asinthedepotsample.Total xylenewas pentene concentrationwasalmost7timesas in onepetrolsampletakenfromaretailoutlet, and thosefromtheretailoutlets.Forinstance, between thesamplestakenfromdepots tene, octane,xylene,etc,wasdetected tions offuelcomponentssuchashexane,pen- widely marketed. out widespreadadulterationofthefuelthatis connected retailoutletsglaringlybrought depots (referencesamples)andthosefromthe composition ofthesamplescollectedfrom x Widespread variationsintheconcentra- This accuratefinger-printing ofthe ) andsulphurdioxide(SO 2) on acontin- Annual Report2000-2002 37 PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS Awareness-Raising and Public Information

Green messenger

Continuing its efforts to push for good Atmosphere: The atmosphere chapter is governance in environmental management, divided into two parts: impact of climate reports on key issues were prepared and change on India, and India’s response. The published. Reports ranged from articles chapter has been sent for review. This chapter on water and air quality, water management includes a special feature on air pollution in to policy reports on livestock management, various cities of India. management of bioresources, decentralisation, economy and environment, among others. Habitat: The habitat chapter highlights the As part of its efforts to advocate for urban drinking water crisis. The thrust of the more emphasis on science and technology in chapter is on urban mismanagement and the environmental policy making, CSE teamed up variation of water availability in different with Down To Earth to institute an award cities in the country. Two special features are for the most innovative work in the field of included in this chapter — pollution of the Dal environmental science. The first award was Lake in Srinagar, and urban floods. given to Dr V P Sharma, former head of Malaria Research Centre, for his work on Health: This chapter covers the impact of bioenvironmental management of malaria. pesticides on human health. K Kannan, He was chosen by a jury of eminent scientists Devika Nag, T S Kathpal, N P Agnihotri and including Dr R A Mashelkar, Director- S G Kabra have reviewed the chapter. General, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research. People: Artisans, a threatened community Work on producing the State of India’s in India, are the focus of this chapter. It under- Environment report continued. CSE produced scores the plight of poor artisans who have a film on the linkages between poor environ- been robbed of their age-old professions due mental management and corruption. The film to the lack of natural resources, such as ivory, was telecast by the British Broadcasting grass, etc. A special feature reviews the impact Corporation (BBC) across the world. of the creation of three new states of Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand, and Uttaranchal on artisans. STATE OF INDIA’S ENVIRONMENT REPORTS (SOE) Energy: The chapter evaluates the potential of renewable energy, mainly solar energy, in During this period, the team worked on India. It includes case studies from Rajasthan the Citizens’ Sixth Report on the State of and South India. The chapter has a special India’s Environment. The report includes feature on ethanol as an alternate fuel. 12 chapters: Waste: The focus in this chapter is on solid Land: The chapter captures the story of waste management. It includes case studies of Ralegan Siddhi, a village in Maharashtra. It NGOs such as Vatavaran in Delhi and Exnora documents how land regeneration led to in Chennai. Bharati Chaturvedi, Almitra Patel overall development of a village. The chapter and K J Nath have reviewed the chapter. It was authored by Anil Agarwal. has a special feature on the 1999 notified plastic recycling rules. Water: This chapter talks about groundwater pollution and its overexploitation. The Disaster: This chapter covers Industrial work on the chapter has been completed accidents and disaster preparedness. It inolves and reviewed by experts P S Datta and a special feature on the Gujarat earthquake. Tishya Chatterjee. It includes a special feature on the controversy surrounding the Living resources: This chapter documents Supreme Court judgement on the Sardar documents how the habitat destruction Sarovar Dam. leads to extinction of birds. It includes two special features, one on the Chiru- Forests: The focus in this chapter is on the Shahtoosh controversy and, the other on zoo concept of community forest management. The mismanagement. chapter includes case studies of Chotanagpur, Jardhargaon, and Panchmahal areas. Reviewed Agents of change: The thrust of the chapter is by Madhu Sarin, a speical feature of this on the greening of Indian industry. It includes chapter is the comparison of the 1997, 1998 a special feature on the intervention of the and 1999 Forests Survey of India reports and Supreme Court in directing environmental the analysis of the trends of the three years. management of Indian industries.

38 Annual Report 2000-2002 SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT people’s health. REPORTAGE Touching upon some vital aspects of vehicular pollution, Information for change DTE came out with a series of status reports CSE’s role of disseminating news and views in on the implementa- the fields of environment and science, which tion of the Supreme emanates from the twin challenges posed by Court order to convert an increasingly degrading ecology and a spate public transportation of struggles and successes to overcome odds, in Delhi from diesel to has made the organisation a point of reference CNG. Notable among for the media and researchers alike. This has them were Shut also resulted in some in-depth reports on a your shop, which dis- broad range of issues in the fortnightly Down cussed the implemen- To Earth (DTE), published by the Society for tation of the apex Environmental Communications. court order, and The By no means an easy task, the CSE reports CNG imperative, have endeavoured to bring to DTE readers the which demonstrated complex maze of information in science and how the conversion environment in a layperson’s language. of public transport Reflecting CSE’s extensive research, DTE vehicles to CNG would dramatically bring reports helped uncover the underlying politics down the pollution load. and sociological as well as economic impacts Likewise, CSE reported on the policies of of a host of subjects, including the automobile other countries across the globe that tackled industry (An auto dream), air pollution, water air pollution. While Exhausting practices cri- or biodiversity. Even the ubiquitous flush tiqued the inspection and maintenance regime toilet (Flushed) which highlighted the need to that requires users to take steps to keep their manage water that is so mindlessly flushed cars clean and non-polluting, Singapore: away, brought a flood of responses from breathing easy examined in detail the readers. This only proved to us the latent Singapore government’s policies that helped knowledge among readers that could be transform the city-state from among the most jogged by some pin-pointed information. polluted Asian cities to one whose pollution Likewise, reports on cancer, whether on levels are now below the World Health new research, or how the poor struggle to treat Organisation (WHO) norms. HIGHLIGHTS it or how the authorities keep vital information Marching forward in its campaign against PROGRAMME out of reach (faceless figures) gave fresh insight the diesel lobby, CSE uncovered the powerful into this much dreaded disease. vested interests conspiring to sabotage the Water and air pollution however, implementation of the July 1998 Supreme remained the major flashpoints in the eco- Court orders on CNG in The CNG sabotage logical radar, which was reflected in the flood and saboteurs. Both reports detailed how the of articles generated by CSE. The campaign Union and State governments had done noth- to promote water harvesting saw DTE ing concrete apart from discrediting CNG, reporters trudging across the country to trading instead vested interests with the health report on the impact of drought, as well as and lives of millions. success stories of community efforts to The CNG battle continues, both inside conserve water. Successive visits to villages and outside the courtrooms, even as air allowed CSE to document how drought- quality takes a slide downwards in most cities proofing was possible by simply harvesting across the country. But what is heartening is water where it fell. that Delhi, whose public transport buses have CSE’s campaign for clean air kept now been pushed to convert to CNG, has churning out a number of reports and articles seen a remarkable recovery in its ambient ranging from studies in a number of countries air quality. on the adverse impacts of air pollution to the strident fight against rising vehicular Water journey pollution. The reports on the politics surrounding the switch to cleaner CNG fuel in The management of natural resources has Delhi evoked a lot of reader response and kept been one of the most crucial areas of research the CSE campaign. for CSE. And none is more important than water. ‘Every drop counts’ has been the motto A breath of air of some well-documented reports. Starting with community efforts in water management, Against the backdrop of a raging controversy notably A belief in tradition, which documented over cleaner fuels, CSE kept DTE readers the efforts of the gram panchayats of Bhaonta- informed of the politics that directly impacted Kolyala, the twin villages in Rajasthan’s Alwar upon the fast-deteriorating air quality and district, recipients of the 2000 Joseph C John

Annual Report 2000-2002 39 Awareness-Raising and Public Information

award, DTE reported on a number of innova- Virus attack tried to unravel the mystery of tive community efforts for environmental fevers of unknown origin, documenting how regeneration. If Tryst with rain studied the medical fraternity gropes in the dark as water harvesting programmes implemented lethal fevers spread across the country. in Gujarat and Maharashtra, warning how badly conceived and implemented govern- Rural landscape ment programmes can derail the successes of community work, Reviving wisdom, an Environment management is today essentially analysis by the late Anil Agarwal, the founder- a power game controlled by elite policy director of CSE, argued how mismanagement makers. But the real issues are in villages, of water led to water scarcity. where people are beginning to stake claim to The highlight was, however, the revisits their rights, particularly over natural resources. by CSE reporters during the second and third If Bridging the gap outlined the decentralisa- consecutive years of drought to villages which tion efforts of the state government of had drought-proofed themselves by building Kerala, Forest small check dams and other water harvesting war reported on structures. Drought of relief, an analysis of Naxalites-con- why drought proofing remains a distant troll. Spread over dream, argued that government drought 15 per cent of relief schemes fail because of bad planning the forest area, and corruption. On the other hand, A water the Naxalites run journey reported the drought-proofing efforts a parallel gov- of village communities that brought about ernment in the ecological regeneration in the states of Andhra forest, thereby Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and highlighting the Rajasthan. Freeze sent the reporters chasing need to change the monsoon, who came back with heartening forest laws. While Old as hills analysed the stories of those villages that had managed to age-old strategy of shifting agriculture in the control water scarcity with their stored water. Northeast hills, Tottering on tragedies looked Simultaneously, Lava ka bas, a nonde- at the chaos in Orissa, a state that routinely script village in Alwar district of Rajasthan hit encounters disasters. the headlines when the state government was Orphans of the river examined the plight hell-bent upon dismantling an earthen check of the riverine fisherfolk as degradation of the dam built by the villagers. CSE took up the inland open water resources take a toll on the cudgels and managed to convince the govern- fish diversity and communities. Similarly, ment how these small efforts conserved water Logjam discusses the plight of the poor forest conservation in the entire region. dwellers of the Northeast, who are deprived of their traditional livelihoods by the large-scale Health wealth felling of trees. It shows how misinterpretation of the Supreme court order has led to bureau- The linkages between environment and health cratisation of forests to further the interests of have been keenly followed by CSE and a timber traders. Subsidised killing highlights number of in-depth reports have emerged. the tragic aspect of thoughtless government Genes, dreams and reality explored how policies that are slowly squeezing India’s environment and lifestyle cause cancer. Based livestock population out of its existence. on a study by the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, the report debunked the Green crusaders theory that cancer was hereditary. Agony of the waiting examined the double whammy A host of heartening tales of grit and challenge faced by the poor who were afflicted by at the grassroots level have also been cancer. How carcinogenic is your car documented by CSE reporters in the course of measured the cancer potency levels of cars, their travels across the country. Prosperity and concluding that diesel is the most dangerous. beyond detailed the transition of Ralegan Umbilical discord showed how pesticide Siddhi, a nondescript and ecologically residues in food can lead to birth defects in ravaged village to a model one which today babies. After CSE broke the news on the exports vegetables. This shift was largely crippling effects of endosulfan, a commonly through the efforts of renowned social activist used pesticide in the cashew plantations of Anna Hazare, who stressed that villages Kerala (Children of endosulfan), a series of become self-sufficient when villagers become reports on this issue kept the debate alive. stakeholders in its development. Similarly, Molecules of death looked at the danger to Power the people extols Nepal’s efforts to health from the deadly dioxins and how murky decentralise power generation, through which politics is trying to downplay its health threat. a social revolution has been ushered into the Clear as air painted a grim picture of the Himalayan kingdom. hidden health costs due to the increasing air Water was a major fulcrum in several pollution in our cities. stories. Catching water where it falls

40 Annual Report 2000-2002 documented a gathering movement to politics taking shape — advocacy is placed on recharge groundwater from rainwater in the anvil as it participates in the various forums Dewas, Madhya Pradesh, while Water revolu- across the world, often battling with the best of tion examined the pani roko abhiyan (stop wits. The negotiations of the sixth Conference water campaign) in Madhya Pradesh, in which of Parties (CoP–6) at The Hague saw the CSE 51,000 drought-affected villages adopted team reporting on the intricate details of negoti- water conservation measures. Changing lives ations. Hold up was an exhaustive documenta- reported on the community participation mea- tion of the conference, where the head of the sures by farmers of Cooch Behar and Jalpaiguri US delegation ended up with a pie in his face. districts of West Bengal, a region that today Deep impact, shallow response analysed the grows five crops. The water table has risen in vulnerability of India to climate change, record- the region, which was once ravaged by devas- ing how it could trigger a series of ecological tating floods. Cleanup time reported on the and economic disasters in the next three to four efforts of Rajasthan’s Udaipur-based Jheel decades. The report also focused on the imme- Sanrakshan Samiti to clean up the city’s lakes. diate need of the Indian government to invest in Forest management is another major issue studying the impacts of climate change on the for community participation as Fighting it out country and to undertake necessary measures. reported on how tribal women in Halyasahi, Trade truce on the other hand, reported Orissa, are fighting government officials and on the six-day long meet in Doha, Qatar, private parties for their rights to trade minor for- which produced some compromises after the est produce. Arresting axe’tion details the grass- fiasco at Seattle, USA, when World Bank and roots initiatives of villagers living close to IMF talks were derailed by a belligerent civil Rajasthan’s Kailadevi sanctuary that started a society. The EU made some agricultural kulahari band (axe ban) movement to restore concessions over agricultural subsidies and the once-verdant sanctuary forests. Women the US relaxed some import curbs at Doha. power examines the pioneering efforts of Notwithstanding the hawk-eyed vigil Dengajhari women, who started a revolu- maintained by CSE’s Global Environment tionary forest protection movement that Governance team, the fact remains that included continuous patrolling against illegal the developed nations are set to apply more tree-felling in their village. Nepal’s poor carry it pressure and the developing countries have a off reported the success of Nepal’s leasehold lot to worry about. forestry project, which created an exclusive resource base for the poorest in the country. Green Scientist Award: Advocacy to Efforts in the cities was also highlighted. A bring change Ray of Hope outlined the story of a group of HIGHLIGHTS young students who formed an NGO that CSE, in collaboration with Down To Earth, has PROGRAMME since 1996 has been working successfully to instituted an award to recognise and honour collect and dispose garbage from the Dal lake exemplary work in the area of environmental in Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir. A few good science. This is an effort to spur scientific men documented the shared efforts of Prabhat research in ecological security, a topic that is K Upreti, a college lecturer, with six other citizens to start a campaign against the use of polybags in Pithoragarh, Uttar Pradesh. Bandit and the backhanders

Country reports CSE produced Bandit and the backhanders, a film on corruption CSE extensively reported on a number of in environmental management. The countries, particularly focusing on how they film discusses how corruption dealt with environmental problems and corrodes values and degrades the about lessons could be learnt from them. environment. It also looks at case Cherry blossoms of Japan details the lessons to studies of corruption in Bihar, Tamil be learnt from Japan’s management of its Nadu, Karnataka and New Delhi. environment. Similarly, high altitude dilemma The film was shot in India in discusses Bhutan’s prospects for sustainable Saharsa in Bihar, Mysore and development and environmental manage- Mangalore, Karnataka, New Delhi ment. West by far east analyses the cost of and Rajaji National Park, Uttar economic growth in China and how a anchal. The film features important personalities, including Anil Agarwal, pattern of economic growth without adequate N C Saxena, secretary, Planning Commission, Anna Hazare, social activist consideration of the potential environmental and several government officials. consequences has grave environmental The film was edited in Delhi and London and the English version of implications to the country. the film was telecast 18 times by the BBC World in October 2000. The international version will be shown in several other countries in Globe trotting the respective regional languages through Television Trust for the Environment. In Delhi, the film was shown by KRITI, an NGO that Global environmental negotiations are serious promotes communication development. business for CSE as it does not just watch world

Annual Report 2000-2002 41 Awareness-Raising and Public Information

The selection process for the Green Scientist Award was detailed and rigorous. Nominations were selected on the basis of the person’s work in environmental areas and the standing and profile of the senior scientist who had nominated the person. Out of 58 nominations, eight were shortlisted and DTE staff travelled widely to verify the impact of the work of the nominees. Final ratings were conducted on the basis of specified criteria selected by the jury, such as sustainability, tangibility, institutionalisation and impact. The jury consisted of the following eminent scientists: Dr V Ramalingaswami, National professor at AIIMS; Dr Arun Kumar Attri, associate professor at the School of Environmental Sciences, JNU; Dr R A Mashelkar, Director-General of CSIR; Dr V P Sharma speaking at the Green Scientist Award function T N Khoshoo, former secretary, Department of Environment; Dr S K Sinha, national professor at ICAR, Delhi; and Anil Agarwal, crucial for the development and well-being of director, CSE. the people but which is totally neglected by government policies. The Down To Earth-Joseph C. John Award The first Green Scientist Award was Continuing the survey of innovative commu- awarded to Dr V P Sharma, former head of the nity efforts to regenerate their environment, Malaria Research Centre, Delhi, for his CSE in collaboration with DTE organised innovative efforts to control mosquitoes the Joseph C John-Down To Earth Award through bio-environmental methods. The for outstanding community efforts in environ- award carries a citation and a cash prize of mental regeneration. The first award was given Rs 1 lakh. Former Union Finance Minister to the gram sabhas of Bhaonta and Kolyala, and member of Parliament, Manmohan Singh, two villages in Alwar district of Rajasthan presented the award. which have done exemplary work in reviving As malaria affects the most vulnerable — the river Arvari. especially the children of poor families in This year, 40 nominations have been developing countries — Dr Sharma’s work shortlisted. DTE reporters and stringers are assumes extraordinary significance. Any already out in the field to examine and report solution that can help solve the problem is of about the work of the nominees. Their detailed crucial importance. His work ranges from reports will be placed before a jury consisting malaria control, entomology, genetics, vector of eminent persons, including scientists, biology and control of vector-borne diseases. academicians, administrators and NGOs.

Doing the right thing: Feedback

“Please send me more details about the Green Scientist Award, to Even my child finds your supplement, Gobar Times, very aid in our consideration of whether we might institute a similar interesting,” Sunil Kirloskar, Airole. award here,” John Cropper, Trinidad and Tobago. “Your article on livestock Subsidised killing (Down To “Your journal is just superb. I like to read each article and Earth, June15, 2000) made a great contribution to the cause of enjoy myself doing so,” T Norbu, Asian Institute of Technology. livestock management, which has been neglected all along,” “I find the coverage on information technology excellent. N S Ramaswamy, Bangalore. It provides a reality check and highlights both the positive and “I enjoy reading Down To Earth and rate it as one of the best negative aspects. This should be helpful to those committed to publications in the field of environment,” Anil Agnihotri, bringing the benefit of IT to rural areas, learn the right lesson and Ahmedabad. apply them appropriately,” N Vittal, Central Vigilance “Down To Earth is doing a excellent job of disseminating Commission. information. I think Down To Earth and Gobar Times must be “I have been reading Down To Earth for the past two years. made compulsory for our politicians and bureaucrats of our It takes a lot of courage to publish an article like Death inside the country,” S Sanyal, Lonavala. factory gates (Down To Earth, September 30),” Clive Lawyer, “Down To Earth is doing a wonderful job by raising Australia. awareness about the environment as well as fighting the govern- “Down To Earth is the one of the few magazines which ment and big corpor ations. Your article on corruption in the presents the true picture of the environmental conditions in the construction of embankments in Bihar was so good that it can world. I have always recommended the magazine to my students. easily qualify to be a collector’s item,” Surendra Parihar, Raipur.

42 Annual Report 2000-2002 Annual Report2000-2002 43 PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS Education and Training

Building capacities in society

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION Why are people poor? An essay contest AND TRAINING In the Gobar Times issue dated August 15, 2000, the unit organised an essay contest for The team continued to produce Gobar Times children on ‘Why do you think are people (GT), and organised training workshops and poor?’ The contest was an attempt to make eco-tours for teachers and students. The unit children understand the linkages between started g:NET, a network for educators. The poverty and environment. newsletter helps educators understand the There was enthusiastic response to the different but interactive dimensions of the contest. Hundreds of essays, poems and draw- environment and to incorporate this under- ings from children across the country were standing in their daily curriculum. The unit received. Ten children earned themselves a also launched another educational activity, five-day Gobar Times educational ecotour to Eco-Queez, in the CSE website. The monthly Rajasthan’s Alwar district to understand the online quiz awards surprise gifts to winners issue of ecological poverty. at the end of the month. Associating with Children accompanied by a guardian six other NGO’s the unit has also developed a attended an introductory session on the 30- hour annual programme for schools. evening of December 20, 2000. The next day they visited the water harvesting site in Child-power for making change Mehrauli, Delhi. Children were then taken to Alwar, Cycle rally for clean air Rajasthan, to observe the work of Tarun Bharat On the occasion of the 2000 Earth Day, the unit Sangh (TBS), a prominent non-governmental organised a cycle rally for children to highlight organisation. They stayed at the sangh’s ashram the problem of Delhi’s poor air quality and the and visited several johads (water harvesting government’s inaction. Twenty-two children structures). Children interacted with the local from different schools cycled from the people and understood for themselves how Safdarjang Tomb to the Prime Minister’s house good environmental management makes an and presented the Children’s Manifesto on impact on the local economy. Children also Clean Air. They drew Prime Minister Atal Bihari attended the Arvari Sansad (River Parliament) Vajpayee’s attention to the serious issue of dete- formed by the villagers to administer the riorating air quality in towns and cities of India. sharing of river water among several villages. The Children’s Manifesto was based Children also witnessed the villagers’ fight on contributions, including text and drawings against the mining lobby. sent by children across India as a part of many Back in Delhi, the children attended a Earth Day events planned by numerous workshop at which they made a presentation organisations from across the country. The about their experience in the form of a play. manifesto included an appeal from children for a more secure and sustainable future. The man- The Gobar Times website ifesto was also published as a public interest The unit launched the Gobar Times website advertisement in The Times of India on Earth on September 2000. The environment educa- Day and also in a special issue of Gobar Times. tion website is regularly updated and includes let’s do it-projects, news, career options and also hosts the monthly Eco-Queez.

Our Ecological Footprint – a manual for teachers A manual for teachers, Our Ecological Footprint — Understanding Your City as an Ecosystem, was released on the occasion of Earth Day 2000. The manual is based on the Ecological Footprint Project and was prepared for schools in Delhi. The manual includes five sections. The introduction describes the concept of the city as an ecosystem, and the perpetrator of a ‘footprint’, while the remaining sections detail issues predominant in urban life, including pollution of river water, water harvesting, Children presenting the manifesto for clean air to Prime Minister, waste management, and the functions of Atal Bihari Vajpayee urban forests.

44 Annual Report 2000-2002 The Ecological Footprint project Ecotours: The ecotour programmes were conducted round the year The Environmental Education Unit continues Period Eco-tour Place the Ecological Footprint Project where students from several Delhi schools are taken July 2000 Water Walk Harvesting sites at Mehrauli on different tours to widen their perspective Juy 2000 Raising a Stink Plastic recycling plants towards their city’s environment and to Agust 2000 Raising a Stink Sulabh international sensitise them to the symbiotic relationship between a city and its habitants. For instance, August 2000 Water harvesting Mehrauli a boat ride on the Yamuna river helped under- October 2000 Raising a Stink Bhalaswa landfill site stand the neglect and degradation of the river. October 2000 Yamuna Yuk-Ride Yamuna River Similarly, eco-tours to several baolis (wells) in Mehrauli, Delhi, helped children understand November 2000 Water Walk Harvesting sites at Mehrauli traditional water harvesting systems. The December 2000 Raising a Stink Bhalaswa landfill site project also addresses sanitation issues. A visit December 2000 Water Walk Harvesting sites at Mehrauli to the Sulabh Toilet museum showed how toilets fit into the urban ecosystem. Similarly, a February 2001 Yamuna Yuk-Ride Yamuna River visit to the Bhalaswar landfill helped children February 2001 Yamuna Yuk-Ride Yamuna River understand Delhi’s waste management February 2001 Water Walk Harvesting sites at Mehrauli systems, while children taken on an excursion to Delhi’s ridge area understood how the July 2001 Water Walk Harvesting sites at Mehrauli forested ridge served as lungs for Delhi. September 2001 Yamuna Yuk-Ride Yamuna River September 2001 Water Walk Harvesting sites at Mehrauli Enabling workshops for students and teachers The unit conducts workshops for teachers and October 2001 Yamuna Yuk-Ride Yamuna River students to build skills and promote under- October 2001 Water Walk Harvesting sites at Mehrauli standing on the linkages between environment December 2001 Water Walk Harvesting sites at Mehrauli and development. • March-April 2000: A meeting of a group of student journalists from five schools of focus of the workshop was on “Sustainable Delhi was organised. The students were Cities” and “Replicating the Ecological assisted in writing and designing a special Footprint Project in your City or Town”. edition of GT based on their eco-tour expe- • October 2001: A water harvesting work- riences. The May 31 GT issue was written shop was held at Asola Wildlife Sanctuary, and designed by the students themselves. for Delhi school teachers in collaboration HIGHLIGHTS • June 2000: At the invitation of the with Mileage Events and Exhibitions. PROGRAMME International Institute of Industrial Environ- Teachers were assigned various projects to mental Economics, EEU conducted a work- conduct in school. shop for school students from all over the • January 2002: CSE provided training and world during the Global Youth Environ- material to The Banyan Tree, a Varanasi- ment Convention held at Lund, Sweden. based NGO, to conduct workshops on • July 2000: Twenty-one teachers from 13 water harvesting for more than 800 schools in Delhi attended a two-day students. The workshops were dedicated teachers training workshop on environ- to Anil Agarwal. ment education at the CSE office in the • February 2002: A media workshop for chil- India Habitat Centre. The teachers were dren was organised jointly by INTACH later taken on an eco-tour. (Jaipur) and CSE. Students focused on • September 2000: The EEU unit held the first heritage and environmental problems out-station media workshop and teachers within the walled city, and produced the workshop at Kalimpong, West Bengal, in special edition, Not in the pink of health. coordination with Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE) –– an NGO working on environ- ment education in the town. Students were given basic training in journalistic skills. Twenty-five teachers were introduced to the concept of eco-tour when they were taken on a ‘waste tour’ of the town. They were taught to write pithy reports, illustrate, draw cartoons, and design Gobar Times the spe- cial edition of Kalimpong. • April 2001: To commemorate Earth Day, the unit conducted a two-day workshop on environment education. Twenty-seven edu- cators from 18 schools and NGOs across the country attended the workshop. The EEU workshop at Jaipur

Annual Report 2000-2002 45 Education and Training

in the pink of health) was produced by a group Events of young reporters and photographers. A work- shop was conducted in collaboration with • April 2001—A CSE stall at Matre De school’s social development fair INTACH in Jaipur for 5 schools. Students were displayed CSE products and the EEU unit organised various activities, trained to report, write, illustrate and produce including games. an issue of Gobar Times. The Jaipur special • December 2001—EEU’s stall during St. Stephen’s College ‘Wildlife edition of GT was distributed to 10,000 Week’ focused on issues of global environmental governance, and people in Jaipur during the Virasaat Utsav water and air pollution. A presentation was made to students and festival, organised by INTACH. teachers. • January 2002—EEU set up a stall at the ‘Kids for Tigers’ fair held in g:NET: A newsletter for educators Army Public School, Dhaula Kuan, Delhi, it was attended by more than Four issues of the 16-page g:NET newsletter 13,000 people. The stall displayed and sold various CSE publications were published and distributed to members. and distributed Gobar Times. The g:NET newsletter includes three sections: • February 2002—EEU participated in the science exhibition in Naval (a) News and Views, which forms an interac- Public School, Chanakyapuri, Delhi. Presentations were made on tive platform for g:NET members; (b) Educator urban rooftop rainwater harvesting. Pages, meant for educators that focus on one • February, 2002—EEU’s stall during the eco-club meet organised by the topical environment issue; and (c) Student government’s Department of Environment had a participation of over Pages, which are reproducible worksheets 3000 children. filled with information and activities for the class and home.

Gobar Times, a bi-monthly beginners Story contest supplement to Down To Earth, stimulates the A story-writing contest was organised by the minds of young audiences through news and Gobar Times in July 2001. Of the more than views on environment and development that 80 entries received, three were awarded cash are communicated through comic strips, prizes, while seven were awarded books as cartoons, quizzes, essay competitions, and consolation prizes. All participants also other interactive pages. Special editions of received certificates. GT are produced by groups of student Fish Fights and Rights, essay writing journalists. contest, was organised by the Gobar Times in January 2001, and focused on wildlife conser- Special editions of Gobar Times vation. Over 30 entries were received in the Student reporters and designers at a workshop form of essays advocating conservation, held in Kalimpong, Darjeeling district, West wildlife protection and championing local Bengal, produced a special edition of Gobar fisherfolk. Times. Students prepared an issue on solid waste and environment of their town, Playing Common interest: Work with other NGOs Ping Pong with Kalimpong’s Environment, CSE conducted workshops on environment in that was released at a special function in the partnership with several NGOs, including town hall. Students from five Delhi schools Pravah, Srishti, Butterflies, Youth Reach, and produced another GT special edition, Grow, Development Alternatives. The network called Growing, Groaning, that covered the effects of Beyond Zebra was set up to create an under- urban consumption. standing and linkages of the environment with Another GT special edition on Jaipur (not development and education.

Doing the right thing: Feedback

”I would like my city Lucknow to also have its ’Ecological “The Ecological Footprint Programme sounds really interest- Footprint’ as all the major environmental problems are in ing. Do you have any plans to conduct such a programme in full bloom here too. I would like to know the possibilities of Chennai? The people of Chennai will definitely benefit from it,” doing such a project for Lucknow,” Rashmi Gangwar, Tanya, Chennai. Lucknow. “The workshop has certainly left a lasting impressions as “I think Gobar Times is excellent. Reading Gobar Times is well as concern for water in our minds and we would like to fun and easy,” Adil, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh. know more about water harvesting techniques for our centre,” “I wanted to tell you that I love reading Gobar Times. I also Priti Sawant, Educational Assistant, BNHS. want you to tell what would happen to mankind and the Earth if “I have recently started a computer learning centre for there was no gobar,” Tanmay Bhatt, DPS, NOIDA. kids named as ‘Fourth Rs’ in which I display Gobar Times on “The seminar on Earth Day has created a tremendous the notice board for awareness among kids towards the environ- change in my life. I go to various schools in Bangalore and teach ment,” Kanhaiya Lal Goyal, Agra. school kids about rainwater harvesting, and your posters have “Please conduct a workshop on environment and conserva- been very helpful in showing traditional harvesting systems,” tion for our girls to expose them to science and environment,” Anuraga Jain, Bangalore. M J Singh, Principal, Mayo College Girls School.

46 Annual Report 2000-2002 ness theworkofRuralLitigationand were takenonafieldtriptoDehraDunwit- policy research andadvocacyunits.Interns batch, mostapplicantswereattachedtothe CSE’sfirst the firstinternshipprogramme.In 14 werefinallyshort-listedand11 enrolledfor Of theapproximately50applicationsreceived, September 25,2000 First InternshipProgramme:June26- preference andCSE’s needs. is decidedonthebasisofapplicant’s programme unitandthechoiceofassignment served basis. to outstationinternsonafirst-comefirst- students. CSEprovidesfreeaccommodation students isRs7,500and5,000foroutstation The feeforathree-monthcourseDelhi a mixoflecturesandon-the-jobassignments. and inCSE’s website.Theprogrammeincludes tised through and servesasarecruitingbaseforCSE. programme seekstoenlarge CSE’s constituency build environmentalcommunicationskills.The promote environmentalunderstandingandto June 26,2000tobuildcapacitiesinsociety CSE’s InternshipProgrammewaslaunchedon CSE’s InternshipProgramme Internship Programme. the trainingprogrammeconsistedof environmental issues.Thefirstcomponentof from allwalksoflifetounderstand CSE initiatedaprogrammetotrainpeople ENVIRONMENTAL TRAINING Participants oftheInternshipProgrammes aeo nen eal fasgmn Nm fitr Detailsofassignment Nameofintern Detailsofassignment Name ofintern aevVra Paperonpollution controland preliminarybriefingpaperforthe A Rajeev Varma Praveen Prakash preliminarybriefingpaperforthedyes A Ajay KumarGautam Green RatingProject Grassrootsstoryonthepanchayat’s Chetna Ramachandra Work onconservationoftraditionalrices Priyanka Chandola Dossierandarticle onnaturally- K KhelchandraSingh Paperonthetraditionalsystemsin W RajeshSingh Anupdateoncommunitiesinvolvedin Sanjeev Ranjan DossieronthewildedibleplantsofIndia Rachna Verma Anjali Maheshwari Natural ResourcesManagement Each internisattachedtoaspecific The programmewasextensivelyadver- Down To Earth chlor-alkali sector prevention technologiesinthe chlor–alkali sectors and dyepigmentsectors initiative inRaipur, MadhyaPradesh of India produced cotton Himalaya andurbansystemsinIndia Dossier onwaterharvestingsystemsinthe Ralegan SiddhiandSukhomajri biodiversity conservation , mailers,posters, the programme. during thethree-monthperiodatendof Kerala. Internspresentedtheirexperiences dates fromfar-flung areasoftheNortheastand received. Theprogrammealsoattractedcandi- ed fromapproximately50applications September 26inwhich11 internswereselect- CSE’s secondInternshipProgrammebeganon September 26-December25,2000 Second InternshipProgramme: including programmecoordinators. lems. Itwasalearningexperienceforall, interns spokeoftheirexperiencesandprob- interactive sessionwasalsoorganised where from allinternsatthecloseofsession. An Environment Kendra.Feedback was obtained Participants ofthesecondInternshipProgramme olk hnr Dossieronfiscalinstrumentstocontrol Moulika Chandra Work on Right toCleanAircampaign Contributiontoupdate Dossieronzoosandtheirrole Udaya Kandlakunta Nidhi Ladha Environment Educationunit InputsforthestoryonlandfillsinDelhi Parul Chiefministerssurvey, 2000 Database Unit ArticleonTarun BharatSangh StoriesforthegrassrootssectionofDTE Rajib KrDash ReportageforDTE BBorthakur A Chandni Khanduja Raashi Rao R N Aarthi Down To Earth DossierforthechapteronConvention Amitabh Khardori Dossierforthechapteron Asian Chandni Khanduja DossierforthechapteronIndian Mausami Desai Global EnvironmentalGovernance air pollutionworldwide Biodiversity Development Bank Whaling Commission Gobar Times and ecotours Water Links Annual Report2000-2002 47 PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS Environmental Resources and Products

Green treasure trove

ENVIRONMENT RESOURCE UNIT Dossiers: In addition to the normal work of scanning, keywording, and classifying environ- The Environment Resource Unit is among mental information in newspapers and produc- CSE’s most important component. The unit is ing the Green Files and the Daily Bulletin Board, entrusted with the crucial task of sorting, the section also produced the following dossiers: indexing and organising information filtering • Developmental projects and their impact from all directions. This information is then on environment (India-1998); made available to the various research and • Bhutan and environment; information units. • Urban floods in India from April 1999 to July 2000 for Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Books, journals and documents section Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai; The task of acquiring and documenting • Dioxin; environmental information continues. The • Diesel –– general information, efforts to database currently includes 46,007 books, stop use of diesel across the world and 21,732 documents and 1,46,406 articles and health effects of diesel use in vehicles, news clippings. The audio-visual database diesel technology, and particulate traps; consists of 532 video films, 63,000 slides from and, India and abroad and 12,950 other slides. DTE • Sandalwood smuggling and Veerappan. archives now consist of 216 issues which are available online. CSE staff is regularly updated Clippings management services: Last year the with information acquired by CSE. This task of identifying a clippings management database is also available on the website. system acquired a new urgency. As the number Indexing of books, documents, and of clippings was increasing manifold, storing of journals continues; books are being indexed clippings became difficult. After looking at with abstracts. The indexing of Down to Earth several maintenance systems, the Omnidox is up to date and ongoing. This is a great boon system, based on scanning the clippings and for CSE staff. Bibliographies are also prepared then managing the information, was identified for select DTE issues. Reference service is as usable. This will help make information provided to in-house and outside users. Books available to the staff at their desk. have been reorganised to be more systematic. The classification display chart on the stacks Databases: Databases on government of and title marks on the books have made India’s notifications on environment and related the retrieval of books much easier and developmental issues and of Parliament user-friendly. Similarly, a classification display questions was built. chart along with the list of journals facilitates the retrieval of journals. Audio-visual section

Newspapers and newsmagazines The work of cataloguing audio-visual (AV) resources, accession, keywording and classifi- Green Files: The Green Files continue to be cation continues. Information about existing published regularly. The Global Green File has and missing resources is being fed into been discontinued due to lack of demand and computerised databases. The main database of the high cost production, while the Corporate AV resources has been modified to facilitate Environment Inc is being brought out regularly. circulation (issue/return) of AV resources. Last CSE also offers user-friendly digitised databases year, the section undertook the task of on select items to subscribers. scanning cartoons and illustrations and also There are 161 subscribers for India indexed and keyworded the resources. Green File; 35 subscribers for South Asia The section also signed a contract Green; and 22 subscribers for Corporate with Reuters for accessing and using their Environment Inc. photographs in CSE publications. CSE now has rights to access their photographs (print quality) Daily News Bulletin: The unit has been online and use them in our publications. compiling the Daily News Bulletin regularly The audio-visual unit has been trying to and publishing it on the Local Area Network update the database of best photographers (LAN)noticeboard. This is also uploaded on and maintain it subject-wise. Pictures were the website regularly. Last year we added procured from the Russian Embassy, UNDP, value to the facility by making the database The Asian Age, Singapore Embassy, French searchable using keywords. This facility is Embassy, Chinese Embassy, Switzerland High A visitor browsing in the CSE Library being offered on the CSE website. Commission, Bhutan High Commission,

48 Annual Report 2000–2002 World Bank and Greenpeace, among others. issues of Gobar Times, Down To Earth, press The audio-visual resources of the Centre releases, and newsletters are posted regularly. are used for film and slide shows, presenta- The site also provides information on the tions and for CSE’s publications. Besides this, campaign activities of CSE. the AV unit also provided photographs on issues related to environment and sustainable Library search system: The CSE library Web development to Indian and foreign newspa- search file was updated and information about pers, magazines and websites. 40,000 books and 1,15,000 articles was uploaded on the search facility of the library Website on the website.

A new look: The CSE home page was com- Database section pletely redesigned and revamped for a fresher appeal. Drop-down menus were created for Indo-Gangetic Links: The section published easy navigation. A theme for the website, a a directory of individuals/organisations leaf from the Centre’s logo, connects the entire involved in sustainable development in the site and is unique to CSE. Indo-Gangetic plains. The directory has been All the campaigns and programme units are divided into three sections — Bihar, Uttar described briefly on the homepage. Events Pradesh, and West Bengal, and includes the and new books can also be advertised on the names of organisations and persons working home page. The new look enables vacancies, on issues related to land, water, atmosphere, conference announcements, and papers to be living resources, health, forests and agents of put online for immediate response. change in Bihar. At the end of each section a bibliography is appended to provide wider A new Web presence: A new site devoted perspective. to water harvesting was conceived, designed and created. The URL, www.rainwaterharvest- WaterLinks-II: After the success of ing.org, was registered as a domain name. It has WaterLinks-I, a directory of water harvesters in been envisaged as a site that will promote water India and overseas, a revised edition, harvesting efforts, publicise and disseminate WaterLinks-II was published in March 2001. information on water harvesting methods, be an In the month of July the section sent 4,500 information source of traditional methods, and questionnaires to all individuals involved in showcase modern water harvesters from all water harvesting to collect information for the over. This site is also a medium for the National edition. Water Harvesting Network to expand its reach HIGHLIGHTS and enlarge its activities. The new web site was Expert databases: In an effort to provide PROGRAMME launched on March 23, 2001 on the occasion databases through the CSE website, the section of the release of the water-harvesting book in compiled a database of environmental New Delhi. scientists, experts working on issues related to water, river pollution and environmental Instant dissemination: The CSE website writers. It continued to provide information provides updated information on all the about the Centre to nearly 10,000 CSE friends programme units of the Centre. The latest and key contacts.

Doing the right thing: Feedback

“We are working actively on air quality management of cities “I am a ninth grade student at Redmond Junior High School. of Nepal. We would like to know more,” Martin Chautari, I am involved in a community research project on how ground- Kathmandu, Nepal. water pollution is affecting India’s development as a people and an “Could you assist me in getting a bibliography of the status of economy. Please send me any information you have regarding the coral reefs in India. I am looking for contact persons, institutes these issues as soon as possible,” Lauren Huesmann, USA. focussed on researching on the reefs, information centres compiling and documenting the status of the reef zones in India, WEBSITE the possible threats, etc,” C P Jayalakshmi, ICIMOD, Nepal. “I found the site very interesting. It is a treasure of “I recently purchased some property in Costa Rica and information for aspiring environmental journalists,” Amit Tewari. would like to know where I can purchase neem seeds or seedlings “I was impressed by your website and would like if you post in Costa Rica? I would like to do research work on malaria and your press releases and upcoming events on our website,” Neem would be an excellent tree to plant. Any information on Elizabeth Windchy, Berkeley. the neem seeds, seedlings, larger property, grants would most “Excellent website on environment. I shall be the regular certainly be appreciated?” Ramon N Pescevich, USA. visitor to website,” V M Shanbhag, Netel Chromatographs, “Can you give me any information regarding the Court Mumbai. order banning the diesel auto rickshaws which carry about “I visited your site. I would also like to contribute to the 8-9 people in New Delhi? I am from Nagpur and they have environment protection of this world. Could you give me started operating here,” Awantika Chitnavis, Nagpur. suggestions?”

Annual Report 2000–2002 49 Volunteers

Lending a helping hand

Volunteers have been integral to CSE activities since the beginning. With increasing interest in environmental issues, a wide cross-section of civil society has contributed time and expertise in sharing CSE’s vision. Volunteers provide a committed workforce for CSE’s environmental awareness activities. Many former CSE volunteers have taken up environment-related careers, while others have been offered full-time opportunities with CSE. Of all volunteers, about 20 percent were recruited directly into CSE during the year 2000-2001, while 16 per cent joined CSE as full time staff in 2001-2002. CSE exposes volunteers to a wide spectrum of environment and development issues. Volunteers hone their skills in documentation and in various management functions. Others participate in Website design, reportage and copy editing. Some volunteers also participate in various education outreach activities, network and organise meetings, conferences and eco-tours. Those technically qualified volunteer with the CSE laboratory. In 2000-2001, volunteers contributed to an equivalent of 18 per cent of total staff time, or a total of 5094 human days. In 2001-2002, this number increased to an equivalent of 24 per cent of total staff time, or 7155 human days. Volunteers are drawn from India and from other parts of the world. Over the years, volunteers from the following institutions and organizations have helped propagate CSE’s efforts: Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai; Institute of Social Welfare and Business Management, Calcutta; Anna University, Chennai; National Academy of Legal Studies and Research, Hyderabad; Harvard University, USA; Cambridge University, England; Durham University, England; Wageningen Agricultural University, The Netherlands; University of Edinburgh, Scotland; London School of Economics, England; Imperial College; England; Potsdam Institute of Climate Change, Germany; Monash University Growth of volunteer contribution as percentage of total Australia; Warsaw University, Poland; University humandays in CSE of Professional Education in Vlissingen, The Netherlands; and Stanford University, USA. Spearheading the enlisting drive for volunteers from India and abroad is the special Volunteers Section on the CSE website through which applicants can register online. This section has allowed CSE to tap the talents and enthusiasm of a wide spectrum of people. Volunteers receive a token honorarium and enjoy a number of facilities including discounts, invitations and certificates. Volunteers are key to building CSE’s network of friends. During the year 2001-2002 alone, CSE received registrations from 75 volunteers from different states in India.

Right to Clean Air Campaign Agarwal, Namita Batra, Madhura Chakraborty, Conducted surveys on compressed natural gas Laxmi Chand, Priyanka Chandola, Sunil (CNG), researched alternative fuels, distributed Chaudhary, Taarini Chopra, Binayak Das, pamphlets on CNG and prepared reports. Debasmita, Daniel Fitzpatric, Dharmarajan K, Nadia Abraham, Abshiek, Iqbal Ahmad, Sita Abshiek Khandelwal, Shweta Khanna, Vinod Anand, Bedoshruti, Deep Chandra, Abhishikta Roy Kumar, Majhi Kulpita, Irene Maria, Abhy Mathew, Chaudhary, Meenakshi Das, Uma Dey, Renju Anushka Meenakshi, Navin Mishra, Prasmi George, Pratik Ghosh, Ruchi Mahajan, Gauri Pativathan, Priya, Suma Ray, Partha Sarthy R, Sanoj Mathur, Kanhaiya Jha, Alok Kumar, Sunetra Lala, Singh, Jaspreet Sondhi, Varun Swamy, Anil Satish Lohani, Shivani Malhotra, Illora Pal, Kumar Verghese, Neha Verma, Geetika Wadhera, Sunita Rout Manas, Deepa Sharma, Faisal Siddqui, Wakloo, Farida Wrajari Pranav Chandan Sinha, P Edward Spiller, M Suresh, I K Vijay Green Rating Project Helped in rating the automobile and the chlor- Natural Resource Management alkali sectors, analysed data and prepared survey Volunteers researched and prepared reports on questionnaires. biodiversity issues. Water campaign volunteers Swati Agarwal, Indu Bala, Divya Bharadwaj, organised Paani Yatras and helped prepare the Shilpa Bhattanagar, Bali Bhoopinder Singh, Ajay water-harvesting manual. Kumar Gautam, Jitendra Gupta, Amit James, Tarun Shahnukha A, Gautam Acharya, Puja Kumar, Prakash Maheshwari Jyoti, Arvind Pande,

50 Annual Report 2000–2002 Zutshi Preeti Harkauli,ManuPJohn, Upinder Kumar information forCSE’sannualreport. Created adatabaseofCSEcontacts andcompiled Board andFunding Shah Krishnan, LinuKumar,SamratMukherjee,Manisha loaded resumesandprepareddatabases. Helped launchCSE’sinternshipprogramme,down- Programme ManagementandRecruitment Sharma, VishakaShroff Mehrotra, RahulSachdeva,VivekSharma,Divyesh celebrations andorganizingstudentrallies. children andteachersbyparticipatinginEarthDay Created environmentawarenessamongschool Environment Education Singh, JapnaTulsi,VinithaV.SudhaVijayan Reddy, ShakeelurRehman,PradyotSarkar,Ravinder Madhavan, SiselPeter,MeenakshiRautela,Mayur Juvenal, MadhuKP,RekhaKumar,SureshM,P including imagesandnewsclippings. Documented thevastresourcesofCSElibrary, Environment ResourceUnit Paliwal, DivyaSeth,BartvanderMark M, SwetaNarayan,DeepshikhaNathani,Antonia Chakravarti, UtpalGhosh,KanishkaKumar,Rajani jects andfortheannualreport. Prepared dossiers,collecteddataforresearchpro- State ofIndia’sEnvironmentReport Prabanjan Verma,VinolaVincent Shukla, KushalPalSingh,JyothiV,BabitaVerma, Shranaya Prasad,RashiRao,MituSaha,Richa Titus Mathew,MadhuSNair,PoojaNanda, Jayachandran, RachitaJha,VishnuKonoorayar, Tarun Chaudha,ShensishDas,SoniaGeorge, Sushil Bhandari,BhairabAhirBorthakur, Down ToEarth Reported, editedandconductedsurveysusedin Science andEnvironmentReportage Tristram Stuart,Thiami,ShovanaUpadhyay Priya Singh,DietnerSjonHans,TanushreeSood, Atanu Raha,DeeptiShastry,LeenaShreshta, Zoe Maxwell,AnchalPandya,BhawanaPrasad, Neha Jain,KabirMallik,ReetiMathur, Vaswati, PollycarpCliff,DeepakKumarDutt, relevant data. Environment Negotiations(GENII),andresearched Helped preparetheannualreportonGlobal Global EnvironmentGovernance Mohini Verma Rakesh Singh,CSoumya,MaliniVarier, Priyanka, SameerQadir,LaxmanRam,Shefali, Sunesh B,AbhasBharadwaj,SC Bhaumik, Reni George,PreetiHarkauli,PrashantK, Trisha Chakraborty,ShijoGeorge,Sumit Chandan SenGupta,NazrulHadi,Vidal Divya Agrawal,SudeshnaBanerjee,Sanjib Ruhail Amin,PrasannaKumarBehera, Laxmi Bhargava,ZoeChafe,RoyChaudhary . Volunteers helpincampaigning Recognition ofvoluntaryefforts Prof Panchpakesan. Anshuman Madan,AlokManchanda,RohitNegi, research fortheprojectonDelhiMasterPlan. Helped collectinformationandcarriedout Chairperson’s Office Rachna Verma lutants atCSE’sPollutionMonitoringLaboratory. Analysed dataandconductedtestsforvariouspol- Pollution MonitoringLab Verma, VandanaVerma Hommes, KadambariMainkar,SatyaRaj,Preeti pollution. Researched andcollecteddataforabookonriver River Pollution Shah Peris, JenniferO’Riley,VichitraSalotra,Poonam newsletter andtheHealthEnvironmentbook. Updated databases,collectedinformationforthe Health andEnvironment Sharma, Silu,Sitansu,Smitha Dipu John,ManojKumar,RajivRanjan,Kapil Downing, RashmiGupta,ManishGusain,Ashish revamped DTEwebsite. Provided newcontentanddesignideasforthe Systems andWebsite Singh, JamesV Omanna Kuttan,ColLuthra,BajinderSingh,Prem cations, helpedtheadministrativeunitwithaudits. Dispatched mailerstoreadersofvariousCSEpubli- Sales andAdministration Priyanka Chandola,RiaDev,SunetraLala, Rakesh Kumar,JitendraNagar,SatyaPrakash, Sutapa Das,SamreenFarooqui,Marian Renni Imbessi,GosiaKopica,NishaMaria Ram BhartiSai,TapanBhuyan,James Biswadeep Bhattacharya,HeerajKumar, Annual Report2000–2002 51 PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS What others said

Quote, unquote

Right to Clean Air Campaign The Hindu, New Delhi, September 29, 2001 “The government here is probably the most incom- “The government officials were citing biased and petent in the world on environmental issues,” said selective documents from the USA to argue that Anil Agarwal, an environmentalist who serves on even that country was finding it difficult to move to an authority set up to advise the Supreme Court. CNG,” Anumita Roy Choudhary, coordinator of International Herald Tribune, October 1, 2001 CSE’s Air Pollution Control Unit, on the Delhi government’s move to sabotage the Supreme Court “Why are we shying away from adopting the best orders to switch over all diesel buses to CNG buses technology in the world when the problem we are in the city. facing requires emergency solutions,” says Sunita The Hindu, New Delhi, July 7, 2000 Narain, director, CSE. The Indian Express, New Delhi, January 2, 2002 “It was sad that at a time when the United States was getting out of using the MTBE, the Indian People’s Water Management Campagin government is planning to allow its use by petroleum companies in India,” Anil Agarwal, CSE By linking water harvesting structures and involving director, on allowing Methyl Tertiary Butyl Ether the community, CSE’s recently launched network (MTBE) as an oxygenate in petrol. (NWHN) has taken the lead in ensuring a culture of The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, August 8, 2000 equitable and sustainable water distribution. Jalavaani, Vol 3, No. 3, January–March 2000 “The industry is shifting the focus from the assembly lines to the tailpipes, making the consumer pay for “It’s time people trained their guns at water harvest- manufacturing defects,” says Anumita Roy ing. We don’t have as much of a problem of water Chowdhury, coordinator of CSE’s Air Pollution scarcity than of water management,” said Indira Control Unit, condemning the automobile industry Khurana of Centre for Science and Environment, on for emission performance of vehicles. depleting water resources. The Financial Express, The Hindustan Times, New Delhi, April 17, 2000 New Delhi, December 10, 2000 “A recent survey by the Centre for Science and “It almost amounts to an insult of the court, there is Environment has shown that villages that have under- no concern for air quality,” said Anil Agarwal, taken rain harvesting are experiencing no water director, Centre for Science and Environment, on scarcity although they are in the same drought belt.” imposing tax on CNG. Business World, May 8, 2000 The Times of India, Mumbai, March 2, 2001 “Having built hundreds of mega dam schemes “New Delhi is the most polluted city in the world in primarily for irrigation in the last 53 years, the terms of suspended particulate matter and other government should now listen to Gandhians like toxins (in the air),”said Chandrachur Ghose, Anil Agarwal, director of Centre for Science and a research associate at the Centre for Science Environment”. and Environment, New Delhi, on New Delhi’s air The Statesman, New Delhi, May 22, 2000 pollution. The Financial Times, New Delhi, March 30, 2001 “Water harvesting is not about building simple traditional structures to collect rain water. It “CNG is the cleanest fuel that removes pollution involves social mobilisation,” says CSE director, dramatically and quickly, and its use is possible Anil Agarwal, regarding government’s enthusiasm with both old and new vehicles,” says Anil Agarwal, for traditional water harvesting structures. director of Centre for Science and Environment (CSE). Economic Times, May 28, 2000 India Today, New Delhi, April 16, 2001 “Delhi should bank on rainwater to quench its thirst “Clearly, Mr. Ram Naik is desperate to cover his as the two other sources of water for city, the river Ministry’s tracks and is still hoping to get Euro II Yamuna and ground water are badly depleted,” Anil diesel classified as clean fuel, and then do nothing Agarwal said, with regard to Delhi’s water crisis. extra than what is already available in the market,” The Asian Age, New Delhi, March 24, 2001 Dr Anil Agarwal said. The Hindu, New Delhi, August 10 , 2001 “It does not matter how much rain you get, if you don’t capture it, you can still be short of water. “We have to some extent, achieved what we set out Community rainwater harvesting is as much to do. Delhi’s air is cleaner. People can feel the diffe- important today as it was ever,” according to Mr. rence despite adding over 200,000 vehicles in the last Anil Agarwal, chairperson of Centre for Science and year in Delhi,” said CSE director, Sunita Narain. Environment.

52 Annual Report 2000-2002 said RustamVania,CSE. consequences oftheactsresource-richsegment,” resourceless segmentofthesocietybears “The problemsintoday’ssocietyariseasthe waste,” saidRustamVania,CSE. but thereisanothersidetoit–wealthin “Gobar (cowdung)isconsideredawasteproduct, Environment. Education UnitattheCentreforScienceand Rustam Vania,coordinatoroftheEnvironment concern, forweallliveinandwithit,”wrote green fringe’ortheconcernedrich.Itiseverybody’s “Environmental issuesarenotforeitherthe‘loony Envirionment EducationUnit as adirtycity,”saidMr.AnilAgarwal,CSE. “The filthofYamunaspeaksvolumesaboutDelhi River PollutionUnit one millionlitresofwater. rainfall fallingonaonehectareplotcanyieldupto Capturing theRain talist AnilAgarwalinapapertitled needs throughrainwaterharvesting.Environmen- cannot meetitsbasicdrinkingandcookingwater There isnovillageinIndia,argueexperts,that Industry (CII),Delhi. Summit organisedbytheConfederationofIndian Environment (CSE)attheThird Narain, DirectorofCentreforScienceand 2000 was360litrespercapitaday,saysSunita reduce itsincethen.Whereashere,thetargettill capita perdayin1990.Andtheyaretryingto the world,consumptionwas190litresper “In Copenhagen,oneofthedevelopednationsin individual inIndia.” water tomeetdrinkingandcookingneedsofevery Territory ofDelhi,therewouldbeenoughclean that “ifrainwascapturedontheareaofUnion Science andEnvironment(CSE),inIndia,claims Anil Agarwal,chairpersonfortheCentre Anju Sharma. world overtakesacountry’sagenda.”saidCSE’s transactions’ whentheinterestofbusiness “Environmental negotiationsbecome‘business Global EnvironmentalGovernanceUnit The FinancialExpress Water &WastewaterInternational The HindustanTimes The HindustanTimes The Pioneer Environmental Change&Project Report, The AsianAge World RiversReview The IndianExpress points outthatjust100mmof , New Delhi,October1,2001 , New Delhi,April29,2001 , , , Jaipur,February7,2002 New Delhi,June6,2001 Jaipur, February7,2002 Issue 6,Summer2000 , , February 2002 Drought? Try July 19,2001 , June2001 The DeccanHerald, temperatures by2100. Change estimatesupto6degreesriseinland the IPCC-InterGovernmentalPanelonClimate According toreportsinthejournal Centre forScienceandEnvironment. rating forascoreof60-75,”SunitaNarain,Director, indicates ascoreof45-60,letalonefive-leaf a singlecompanygotfour-leafratingwhich On theratingofautomobilecompanies,“Noteven Industry andEnvironment for ScienceandEnvironment. please theUS,”saidSunitaNarain,director,Centre protocol, itisshamefulthatwehavegonethisfarto “Considering India’sgreenpaperinitiatedtheKyoto said CSEofficials. and maketheProtocolmoreacceptabletothem,” lamb iftheworldofferstoplacateAmericans “India facesthedangerofbecomingsacrificial energy pact. Centre forScienceandEnvironment,onIndo–US house gasreduction”,saidSunitaNarainofthe technology, butwewilltakethecreditforgreen- bit ofmoneyfromus,buyourmoreefficient “What theyaresayingeffectivelyis—takealittle is inherentlyflawed. which focussedonequity,thattheKyotoProtocol and Environment,toldparticipantsatthisevent Narain ,co-directorofIndia’sCentreforScience Presenting athesison‘AFocusEntity’Sunita should notremainthepreserveofelite. Minister, JaswantSinghsaidenvironmentalissues Negotiations onEnvironment”,theExternalAffairs Centre forScienceandEnvironmenton“Global Releasing areportoftheDelhi-basedNGO, the subject. Earth cancer potencylevelsofthecarsweride. Cars causecancer.Scientistscanmeasurethe SERVICE CSE /DTEFEATURES General MotorsIndia. mance,” saidAdityaVij,managaingdirector, like CSEtoimproveourenvironmentalperfor- will continuetoworkwithgovernmentandNGOs “GRP willhelpustopromotegreenerpolicies.We The EarthNegotiationsBulletin Business Standard The IndianExpress presents thefindingsofthreestudieson The AsianAge, The NewsTime, The Hindu, The Netherlands,November24,2000 The Hindu Auto Monitor , New Delhi,October15,2000 New Delhi,October30,2001 New Delhi,January16,2001 , New Delhi,March13,2002 New Delhi,March24,2001 , NewDelhi,April4,2001 New Delhi,May13,2000 , November16,2001 (ENB) ontheside, Down ToEarth, Down To Annual Report2000-2002 53 PROGRAMME HIGHLIGHTS During the year

Events

Right to Clean Air March, 2001: Indira Khurana and R K Srinivasan spoke on traditions in rainwater April 2000: Anumita Roy Chowdhury made a harvesting at the Indian Institute of presentation on vehicular pollution at the Technology, Delhi. teachers training programme organised April 2001: Suresh Babu and R K Srinivasan by CSE on the occasion of Earth Day. spoke on water harvesting in urban areas October 2000: Anumita Roy Chowdhury made atPani Roko Abhiyan events held in a presentation on environmental chal- Indore, Gwalior and Rewa. lenges to fuel quality at a seminar organised June 2001: RK Srinivasan & Suresh Babu by FICCI. spoke on rooftop water harvesting at a January 2001: Anumita Roy Chowdhury made function organised by the Indian Airforce, the presentation on the action plan for Subroto Park in Delhi. vehicular pollution control at the Indian June 2001: Suresh Babu delivered lectures on Institute of Petroleum in Dehradun. rain water harvesting for the Resident March 2001: Anumita Roy Chowdhury made Welfare Association, Vasant Vihar and at a presentation on Developing Europe- a workshop organised by Katha for slum Asia Cooperation Mechanisms in teachers. Environmental. Technology and July 2001: Suresh Babu spoke on rainwater Management Systems organised by Asia harvesting at a workshop on drinking Ecobest Roundtable in Lisbon. water problems in hill tops, organised by May 2001: Anumita Roy Chowdhury made a the Government of Tripura, Agartala. presentation on fuel quality in the seminar September 2001: Indira Khurana gave the organised by the Asian Development Bank. keynote address at Rainwater International, May 2001: Anumita Roy Chowdhury made a 2001 at Mannheim, Germany. presentation on Environment and Cancer September 2001: RK Srinivasan and Suresh at Apollo hospital. Babu spoke to the students of GB Pant May 2001: Anumita Roychowdhury made a Polytechnic and the Sprigdales School in presentation Air pollution crisis in Delhi in Delhi. the seminar organ ised by the Women September 2001: Suresh Babu spoke at Welfare Organisation, Delhi University. National level training workshop June 2001: Anumita Roychowdhury made a organised by Education Counsultants presentation on the Air pollution scenario under the District Primary Education in Delhi in the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Programme, Jaipur on water harvesting in Academy of Administration in Mussourie. urban areas. October 2001: Suresh Babu spoke at a People’s Water Management workshop organised by IIT, Roorkee for engineers from South Asia on urban water April 2000: Indira Khurana made a presenta- harvesting. tion on rain water harvesting at the November 2001 Suresh Babu spoke to annual convention of the Indian Institute students of Sanskriti School, New Delhi of Architects, Noida. on water harvesting. June 2000: Indira Khurana gave a Presentation November 2001: Indira Khurana and Suresh on rain water harvesting at the Earth Day Babu spoke on community-based rainwa- Function of UNEP and Australian High ter harvesting in India at a national level Commission. workshop organised by Tamil Nadu Water June 2000: Eklavya Prasad made a presentation Supply and Drainage Board, Chennai. at the national conference organised by the November, 2001: Eklavya Prasad and Suresh Rajasthan State Ground Water Board. Babu spoke on water harvesting at CSE for September 2000: Indira Khurana gave a the students of Hans Raj College, Delhi presentation at a workshop Green India University. ,organised by Ministry of Urban Affairs, December, 2001: Indira Khurana spoke at a New Delhi. Rotary club meeting in New Delhi. February 2001: R K Srinivasan delivered a December, 2001: Suresh Babu spoke at the lecture on urban rainwater harvesting Regional Institute of Technology, Kottayam, systems at the School of Planning and on urban water harvesting. Architecture. December, 2001: Suresh Babu spoke on rain- March 2001: R K Srinivasan spoke on rain water harvesting at GVNM College, water harvesting in cities at a workshop Sonipat. on water management held at Nagaur February, 2002: R K Srinivasan spoke at Fort, Jodhpur. Kamala Nehru College in New Delhi.

54 Annual Report 2000–2002 Industry and Environment August, 2001: Presentations on air pollution were organised for the Cambridge Public April 2000: Archak School, New Delhi and Salwan Public Pattanaik attended the School, New Delhi. workshop on liquid September, 2001: INTACH-Jaipur organised a and solidwaste man- workshop for principals on heritage agement in chemical conservation and education. The industries organised by Environment Education unit was invited the Department of to deliver lectures. Chemical Engineering, September, 2001: Members for the EEU was IIT-Delhi, Indian Institute of Chemical invited as a part of the panel for a discus- Engineering (Northern Regional Centre), sion on community participation in and Indian Chemical Manufacturer’s development, organised by IFCOD, New Association. Delhi. September 2000: Chandra Bhushan attended February, 2002: A lecture on sustainable the workshop on Ethical Investment and development was organised in the Corporate Disclosure, organised by the National Defence Institute as part of Global Partnership Working Group at its in-service training programmes. Hanover, Germany. March, 2002: A presentation was given to a June 2001: Chandra Bhushan participated in the team of people from District Institute of meeting on Reporting and Performance, Education and Training (DIET) involved in Companies & Stakeholders, A common developing a booklet on water harvesting Agenda, organised by Sustainability Ltd in for middle school students of schools London, United Kingdom. under Delhi Govternment. December 2001: Chandra Bhushan attended the meeting of Measurement Working Global environmental governance Group organised by Global Reporting Initiative in Paris as the co-chair of the May 2000: CSE panel. presented a paper February 2002: Chandra Bhushan gave a on entitlements in presentation on CSE’s Green Rating climate change Programme at a workshop on Apprecia- called Equity tion Programme for Management and Emissions Representatives/Environmental Managers Trading — Ethical organised by EQMS Ltd in New Delhi. and Theological HIGHLIGHTS March 2002: Monali Zeya made a presenta- Dimensions at a PROGRAMME tion on the Experience of Green Rating meeting hosted of Indian Industries at a workshop organ- by the World ised by Compliance Advisory and Council of International Finance Corporation in Churches at St. Andrew’s College, Manila, Philippines. Saskatoon, Canada. June 2000: CSE staff participated in a meeting, Environment Education Highlighting Southern Priorities for Earth Summit 2002, organised by the April, 2001: The Heinrich Boell Foundation and the Environment Education Stockholm Environment Institute, unit was invited to Brussels, Belgium. deliver lectures to June 30 and July 1, 2000: Anju Sharma Delhi University presented a paper on the role of the lecturers as a part European Union in the climate negotia- of their training pro- tions at the climate negotiations meet gramme organised by organised by the European Environment Council of Professional Bureau (EEB) and France Nature Educational Development. Environment, Arc-et-Senans, France. April, 2001: A lecture on water harvesting was September 2001: CSE attended the meeting in given to children and teachers of the Bangladesh on World Summit on Bharti Vidya Bhawan Eco-club as a part of Sustainable Development, organised by their annual function. the Forum of Environmental Journalists April, 2001: A talk was given to students of the (FEJB). American School, New Delhi. November 2001: The GEG unit participated in July, 2001: A group of 13 teachers from an online debate organised by the Chicago, USA attended a talk on poverty Heinrich Boll Foundation,on the impact and environment in CSE. of September 11 on WSSD. August, 2001: A talk was given to students November 2001: GEG Unit participated in the of then British School as a part of their meeting for WSSD held in Phnom community education programme. Penh, Cambodia.

Annual Report 2000–2002 55 During the year

In print

Right to Clean Air Campaign Asian Age. Aaj ki baat, Doordarshan, on CNG conversion. April 2000 “Greens term carmakers November 2000 emission norms faulty”, “Citizens fight for clean air”, The Hindu. The Hindustan Times. “The shift-rift: The capital cross fire”, The Indian Express. “Green NGO flays industry Dastak, Zee TV, on air pollution. schedule for Euro Norms”, All India Radio, on air pollution in Delhi. Business Standard. “Diesel craze fuels debate”, December 2000 Business Line. “Responsibility lies with car makers”, The Indian Express. “Euro II diesel: Government is lobbying for transporters”, “CSE flays I&M regime”, Business Standard. Indian Express. “Euro II pollution certificate under cloud”, The Asian Age. “LPG for automobiles awaits government action”, “Different routes, same destination”, The Financial Express. Financial Express. “Hashmi is misleading Supreme Court on CNG”, “Environmentalists train gun on diesel vehicles”, The Indian Express. The Times of India. “Hashmi’s remarks against CNG buses misleading”, “Polluting diesel goes popular”, Business and Political The Hindustan Times. Observer. Audio-visual interviews to CNN’s, Q&A with Riz Khan, CNBC news, on CNG moves. on air pollution. Star News, on the issue of CNG conversion. Sawal Jabab, NDTV, on CNG. February 2001 Business News, on introduction of 0.05 per cent sulphur fuels in “CSE slams SIAM announcement”, The Indian Express. Delhi. CNBC news, on introduction of 0.05 per cent sulphur fuels in March 2001 Delhi. “Cancerous grapevine”, The Pioneer. “Environmental issues given a go by”, The Times of India. May 2000 “Tax on CNG stuns environmentalists”, The Indian Express. “Diesel fumes more carcinogenic”, The Hindustan Times. “Budget makes greens see red”, The Hindustan Times. “Cars cause cancer”, Newstime. “Budget is a clean blow to clean environment”, Asian Age. “Environmentalists criticise Delhi for avoiding air pollution “CSE attacks Sinha budget”, The Indian Express. ruling”, Edie Weekly Summary. “Budget ‘visionless’ on clean urban environment”, “Low benzene may be next buzzword”, The Statesman. The Times of India. London Radio, on air pollution. “Card-carrying responsibility”, The Indian Express. “A small step in the right direction”, The Financial Express. June 2000 “Shortage of CNG bigger problem than conversions”, “Is CNG the best fuel for public transport?”, The Asian Age. The Times of India. “CNG deadline: Hard days ahead for Delhi commuters”, “Automobile udyog ka dawa aur jan swasth”, Nav Bharat Times. Business Line. “PUC checks made little difference”, The Statesman. “Curbing pollution or courting more problems?”, “Need to develop air quality index system, says expert”, Newstime. Indian Express. “Delhi reluctant to switch over to CNG”, Asian Age. “CSE attacks budget”, The Times of India. July 2000 “Start worrying when auto makers grin”, Financial Express. “Sarkar chati hi nahi ki dilli mein CNG bus chale”, Jansatta. “Government trying to sabotage apex court order on CNG”, April 2001 United News of India. “Who is afraid of Pollution”, Times of India. “Nexus between diesel lobby, government alleged”, The Hindu. “India’s capital enforces use of clean fuel to cut pollution”, “Government, diesel lobby in sabotage deal”, Statesman. The Hindustan Times. “TERI’s claim on sulphur fuel certified”, Statesman. “Have a breathe of poison”, The Pioneer. “Slow Poisoning”, Statesman. “Clean fuel standard for city”, The Hindustan Times. August 2000 “Indian Cities Fighting for Clean Air, from PTI report”, “Green group debunk Centre’s choice of chemical compounds”, Central Chronicle. Indian Express. “Wake up to the Dangers of Pollution”, The Sentinel. “Petrol Additive carcinogenic”, The Hindustan Times. “All for a whiff of clean air”, Deccan Herald. “MTBE — World says poison but our government thinks it is “The Gas war hots up”, India Today. safe”, The Economic Times. “Proven ground water contamination makes MTBE a June 2001 controversial lubricant”, The Times of India. “DTC will ply airconditioned buses”, Asian Age. “DTC has come under criticism from Delhi-based NGO”, “CNG vs Diesel”, The Hindu.

56 Annual Report 2000–2002 July 2001 “5 days to deadline: CNG crisis unresolved”, Asian Age. “Ethanol the national brew”, Business Standard. “Exotic tips for a happy CNG journey”, Asian Age. “Over 1,000 people dying every year in Delhi”, The Assam “Telco chalks out safety norms for CNG buses”, The Hindu. Tribune. “Delhi’s air is causing cancer, warn experts”, November 2001 The Times of India. “Telco’s CNG bus is in for overhaul”, The Pioneer. “A missile against pollution”, Tribune. “LPG — Drivers vehicles a safety hazard”, The Hindu. “IGL suggests hike in CNG price”, The Statesman. “NGO accuses ministry of discouraging use of clean fuel”, The Statesman. August 2001 “Centre accused of denying CNG for cars”, The Hindu. “Allocation is faulty”, The Times of India. “Oil Ministry not allocating natural gas for transport”, December 2001 Business Line. “Complacency over CNG issue: causes concern”, The Hindu. “IGL failed to set up stations”, The Hindu. “Experts blame ministry over safety”, Asian Age. February 2002 “No shortage of CNG in Delhi”, Business Line. “Govt’s environment data five years old”, The Times of India. “State, Centre are raising bogey of scarcity”, The Express News Service. “Petrol adulteration rampant”, The Hindustan Times. “Saathi’s move shortsighted”, The Hindu . “BIS norms for fuel may be fixed too”, The Hindustan Times. “CNG tax flayed”, The Times of India. “Gas stations to be restored in 2 weeks”, March 2002 Indian Express. “The driving policy”, Frontline. “NGO trashes myths on green fuel”, Asian Age. “No let up on CNG for city buses: Supreme Court”, “CNG vehicles demand set to rise”, Asian Age. The Times of India. “CNG conversion makes a dent into revenue collection”, “Budget has made CNG expensive, air dirtier”, Indian Express. The Hindu. “Fuel is anything but pure in Delhi: Study”, Indian Express . “CNG is a green fuel”, Asian Age. “Tanker locking device fails to plug pilferage”, Hindustan Times. “Irrational fuel policy responsible for CNG crisis”, “Greens fear budget will fuel car rush on Capital’s road”, The Herald. Tribune. “Sulphur decreases as fuel leaves Mathura refinery”, September 2001 Indian Express. “Which is the best”, Business World. “Pinch of adulteration can earn bagful of profits”, Indian Express. “The Gas balloon”, Business World. “Adulteration of fuel is rampant, but hard to check”, “Deadline for CNG conversion may not be met”, Business Line. The Times of India. “Cleaning up the air”, The Statesman. “Why can’t LPG be the alternative fuel? SC asks govts”, “Private vehicles to run out of gas”, The Times of India. Indian Express. “Private vehicles entitled for CNG supply”, The Times of India. HIGHLIGHTS

“Fine Centre on CNG; says Salve”, The Times of India. PROGRAMME “Parvez Hashmi throws a bucket of paint on SC face”, Indian Express. “SC reserves order on CNG deadline”, Tribune. “CNG hopes go in smoke once again”, The Times of India. “Ignorance is no bliss”, The Hindustan Times. “They fail to see eye to eye”, The Times of India. “Hidden adulteration”, The Times of India. “New Delhi Journal A prayer for belching buses”, “Detection methods fail to check adulteration in petrol fuel The New York Times. quality”, Asian Age. “With 18 days to go its back to basics”, The Times of India. “CSE demands better fuel quality standards”, The Statesman. “What the SC orders really mean”, The Times of India. “Govt lab failed to check fuel adulteration: CSE”, The Pioneer. “Experts see plot behind CNG issue”, The Times of India. “CSE for tighter laws to check fuel adulteration”, “Experts see plot behind CNG issue”, The Hindu. The Times of India. “Adulteration of fuel rampant in Capital”, The Hindu. October 2001 “Lid on fuel adulterationblown off”, Business Line. “Banned diesel buses get reprieve”, International Herald “Dirty oil charges unfair? IOC, NGO slug it out”, Tribune. The Times of India. “Banned Diesel Buses in Delhi”, New York Times. “410,000 truck exhaust waiting to be plugged”, The Times of India. People’s Water Management “Small and dangerous”, The Times of India. “Fuel adulteration largely goes unchecked”, The Times of India. April 2000 “CNG vs ULSD debate goes on”, The Hindustan Times. “Check out these dams”, Financial Express. “Government flashes red card to TELCO”, Times of India. “How water brings back life”, Business and Political Observer. “CNG mishap brings safety issues”, The Hindu. “Government criticized for ignoring security aspects”, “He stored clouds beneath the soil”, The Pioneer. The Statesman. “How a Rajasthan village revived the Arvari river”, “Hashmi slams Telco over CNG bus fare”, Indian Express. The Central Chronicle. “Government criticised for ignoring security aspect”, “Whose govt. is it anyway”, The Hindu. The Statesman. “Depleting water resources causing worry”, The “CNG mishap brings safety issue to the forefront”, The Hindu. Hindustan Times. “Bus accident another CNG probe ordered”, Asian Age. “Spectre of drought”, Tribune. “CNG fire due to callousness”, Asian Age. “An Israel within Tamil Nadu”, Kisan World. “Mishaps due to inadequate inspection provisions”, “A disaster that was waiting to happen”, The The Statesman. Business Standard.

Annual Report 2000–2002 57 During the year

“A disaster that was waiting to happen”, The Sentinel. February 2001 “Catch the rain”, The Indian Express. “From rain mandir to Jal mandir”, The Hindu. “Naidu constitutes panel to find ways to conserve water” Business and Political Observer. March 2001 “Water, water everywhere”, The Telegraph. Hindi report in Dainik Bhaskar, Nai Dunia, Nab Bharat Times “Working with out the state” The Economic Times. “Rainwater harvesting makes desert lush green”, “A drought of the mind, not water”, The Times of India. Garha Chronicle. “AP to spend Rs 4000 Cr to conserve rainwater’’ “Call to opt for rainwater harvesting”, The Hindustan Times. The Pioneer. “Community based rain water harvesting sustainable” “In a different light”, The Deccan Herald. Free Press. “A government created calamity’’, The Deccan Chronicle. “Kami pani ki nahi logo ki chetna ki hai”, Dainik Bhaskar.

May 2000 April 2001 “Naidu launches water conservation mission”, Deccan Herald. “Das sal mei khatam ho jai ga dharti ka meetha paani”, Rashtriya “Rajasthan must go back to water harvesting”, The Hindustan Sahara. Times. “Harvesting benefits of old technique”, The Pioneer. “Drought relief can create rural assets”, The Business Standard. “National water harvesting conference begins at Neemi”, “Khooshboodar Fascism”, Jansatta. Deccan Herald. “A venal dangerous lie” Outlook. “Water harvesting a resounding success in Nimbi”, Hindustan “Oh what a lovely drought” Business World. Times. “Drought Belief”, India Today. “Kissano Ko sahi samay per paani mil jai to pura desh khushal “Jal khuprabandhan ka khamiana” ho jai”, Nai Duniya. Dainik Jagran. “Jal biradari ka teen dini rashtriya sammelan prarambh”, “Rooftops can be utilised to improve Nai Duniya. ground recharge”, “Neemi, an oasis in desert”, Deccan Herald. The Hindustan Times. “Water rich village in arid Rajasthan”, Central Chronicle. “Jaruri hai jan prabandh”, Rajasthan “Save water for prosperity and posterity”, Financial Express. Patrika. “A rain water harvesting tip; Befriend thy neighbour”, “The manmade drought”, Business Indian Express. World. “Out of the bottle”, The Indian Express. “Crisis management and the administration”, May 2001 The Hindustan Times. “Water should be everybody’s business”, The Katmandu Post. “Dry Cycle”, The Statesman. “With water close social change”, The Pioneer. “Bandhan ho to johar”, Navbharat Times. “Goan goan mei jal sanrakshan se bharat ki takdeer badal “Another day spells bodes ill for Kutch village”, The Statesman. sakti hai”, Nai Duniya. “Tarun Bharat sangh ne rashtriya jal niti ko uprasangik banaya”, Rashtriya Sahara. June 2001 “Everyone’s business”, The Hindu. June 2000 “Talaab nirman se barhi sahyog bhavna”, Nai Duniya. “Drought: A natural disaster rooted in official apathy”, “Indore ke budhimatapurn kadam”, Nai Duniya. Fortnightly Nation and the World. “Sab ke sarokar ka vishai hai paani”, Nai Duniya. “A job well done”, Business and Political Observer. “Harvest Rain water for survival”, Financial Express. “Rains welcome but not on roof tops”, The Statesman. “Madhya Pradesh mein varsha jal sangrah ke prati chetana “The great urban watering hole” The Indian Express. jaagi”, Nai Duniya. “Conserve water says governor”, The Hindustan Times. July 2000 “Varsha ka paani rok le, to garibi door ho jaigi”, Prabhat Khabar. “Will we harvest this monsoon”, The Asian Age. “Jal chajan ke liye jan aandolan jaroori”, The Hindustan Times. “Traditional water saving techniques prove their worth”, “Making Water Everybody’s Business-CSE Jharkhand Mei”, Financial Express. Prabhat Khabar. “Big business helping villagers”, The Hindu. August 2000 “Catch the rain”, The Financial Express. July 2001 “Villagers build check dam, Govt wants to demolish it”, October 2000 Hindustan Times. “Water every drop counts”, The Deccan Herald. “Individual rights are basic to democracy”, The Times of India. “Harvest solutions”, The Indian Express. “Check dam built without permission, says minister”, The Hindustan Times. December 2000 “Despite officials, villagers little dam to stay”, Express News “Harvest rain water”, The Times of India. Service. “A feather in the cap for Sariska village”, The Hindu. “Shekhawat pulls up TBS, refuses to stop demolition”, The January 2001 Hindustan Times. “Harvest rain water from Western Ghats”, Kisan World. “Ruparel per bane bandh ka paani nikala jayega”, Rajasthan “Rare tribute to a river”, The Hindu. Patrika. “Catching water where it falls”, Humanscape. “When state backs off before people’s will”, The Times of India. “Villagers join hand to work wonders”, The Hindu. “Sanchay ko jal biradari,suraksha ko jal yodha”, Dainik Bhaskar.

58 Annual Report 2000–2002 “Book review, ‘Making water everybody’s business’,” Current “Miles to go before going green”, The Statesman. Science. “Daewoo rated most eco friendly”, Business Standard. “Jal sanchai ke liye zaroori hai sonch mei badlav”, Dainik Bhaskar. “Matiz most environment-friendly car”, Times of India. “God’s own paradox”, The Hindu. “CSE’s green rating draws flake from Cos”, The Times of India. “Call to promote rain water harvesting”, The Hindu. “Small cars top emission survey”, Business Line. “Barish jal ka sanchai hi antim bachav”, Dainik Bhaskar. “Green Card handled out only to select few”, The Times of India. “Lava ka Bas Goan me bana Johad Puri tarah surakshit”, Janasatta. “Daewoo most eco – friendly car maker in India”, Sentinel. “Jan bhagidari se bane johad ko tordne ke koshish sahi nahi”, “Efficiency, emissions, design below world standards”, The Janasatta. Pioneer. “Drought in reforms, but who owns the river?” Times of India. November 2001 August 2001 “Automobile pollution level grim in India”, Assam Tribune. “Rain water harvesting campaign catching up”, “Green card for corporate”, Business Line. Express News Service. “It pays to be clean”, The Pioneer. “Rain water harvesting: pammal residents’ success story”, “Paryavaran ki bakri ko Udhyog se kaise bachayee”, The Hindu. Nayi Duniya. “Urbanites need to deal with water scarity and flood”, “India’s auto industry: how eco – friendly?” The Hindustan Times. The Hindu. “Administrator releases book on water”, Indian Express. “Water water everywhere but”, The Hindustan Times. January 2002 “Droughts The Success Stories”, The Pioneer. “Single fuel or your winter cough?” Times of India.

September 2001 “Schools, clubs and farm houses can save water too”, Environmental Health Deccan Herald. February 2001 October 2001 “How pesticide devastated their “Water harvesting wizards”, Deccan Herald. village”, Deccan Herald. “Aerial pesticides spraying destroys February 2001 village”, Central Chronicle. “Varsha jal ke sangrah se hi door hogi paani ki killat”, “Plea to stop using Endosulfan”, Jansatta. The Indian Express. “Malaria claims 3 million Indians February 2002 every year”, Neighborhood Flash. “Varsha jal sanchai par khuli bahas aayojit”, Rashtriya Sahara. “First Green Scientist award”, Newstime. HIGHLIGHTS

“Catch that rain to meet the demand”, The Pioneer. PROGRAMME April 2001 Industry and Environment “Malaria Expert Awarded”, Indian Express. “Green scientist award presented”, The Hindu. August 2000 “Malaria expert Sharma wins the first Green Scientist award”, “The Best green test”, Asia Week. The Asian Age.

June 2001 “Green ratings must run deep”, Pollution Monitoring Financial Express. February 2001 October 2001 “How pesticide devastated their village”, Deccan Herald. “Environmental Governance”, The Hindustan Times. “Aerial pesticides spraying destroys village”, Central Chronicle. “Matiz most environment – friendly car identified”, “Plea to stop using Endosulfan”, The Indian Express. The Times off India. “Daewoo rated most eco–friendly”, Times of India. October 2001 “Daewoo rated most eco–friendly car – maker in India”, “Nothing fishy about water pollution”, The Statesman. The Economic Times. “Endosulphan traces found in breast milk”, Indian Express “Khoob Dhua Urate hain Bhartiya Vahan”, Jansatta. “Drinking water also a casualty”, The Statesman. “They take you for a ride – & how”, The Hindu. “Forget CNG / Euro–II , India’s auto industry has miles to go”, Indian Express. Environment Education Unit “Daewoo’s Matiz , Maruti- 800, Santro top the green vehicle race”, The123india.com News. February 2001 “Daewoo’s Matiz rated most eco –friendly car in India”, “Kids get down to Earth to bring out Gobar The Bizpaper Today. Times”, The Hindustan Times. “Green ratings of Cars, start of a new trend?” The www.moneycontrol.com, Yahoo. October 2001 “Daewoo rated most eco–friendly car–maker in India”, “A role for students in conserving Pink City”, Central Chronicle. The Hindustan Times. “Matiz most eco-friendly”, Biz Brief, Times Publication. “Harvest rain water: CSE”, The Times of India.

Annual Report 2000–2002 59 Financial Overview

Financial highlights – 2000-2002

Table 1: Balance sheet as at March 31, 2002 Rupees (in lakh) I. Sources of Funds 31.03.2002 31.03.2001 Capital Fund 598.02 550.72 Corpus Fund 566.43 454.67 Project Fund 223.07 119.41 Reserves 14.08 10.66

Total 1,401.60 1,135.46 II. Application of Funds Fixed Assets Net block 293.34 263.75 Investments: Corpus 547.35 435.18 Others 408.51 328.61 Current Assets: Advances /Sundry Debtors 83.70 78.42 Cash and bank balances 71.93 31.96 Less: Current Liabilities and provisions Liabilities 3.23 2.46 Total 1,401.60 1,135.46

Table 2: Income and expenditure account for the year ended March 31,2002 Particulars Expenditure (Rs in lakhs) 31.03.2002 31.03.2001 I. Grants, Sales, Misc. Income Project grants 621.65 489.48 Sales 31.86 29.72 Other income 58.35 46.18 Total Receipt 711.86 565.38 II. Expenditure Environmental Resource unit 55.68 41.84 Science & Environmental Information 78.89 103.27 Research & Advocacy 105.02 84.27 Environmental Education 11.47 18.73 Green Rating Project 32.95 21.23 Health & Environment (including Laboratory) 25.08 6.12 State of Environment 9.61 16.50 Management Support 109.92 74.86 Program Management & Development 61.30 38.57 Depreciation 45.98 46.34 Total 535.90 451.73 III. Excess of Income over Expenditure 175.96 113.65

Table 3: Break-up of income (other than grant income) Description Total 31-3-2002 (Rs lakh) Total 31-3-2001 (Rs lakh) Green File subscriptions 1.33 3.76 Sale of publications 26.97 21.26 Sale of audio-visual resources 1.37 0.72 Other miscellaneous services 2.05 1.54 Advertisement income — — Donations 1.16 1.04 Interest income 52.02 38.39 Environmental service 2.58 2.44 Other income 2.73 6.75 Total 90.21 75.90

60 Annual Report 2000-2002 Graph 1: Programme-wise distribution of expenditure

Graph 2: Grant income and programme expenditure over the last five years RESOURCES Our donors We are grateful to the following donors for supporting the Centre’s programmes during 2000–2002: Corpus/Endowment grants Institutional Grants Sir Ratan Tata Trust, Mumbai Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst e.V. E V (EED), Bonn The Ford Foundation, New Delhi Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency, New Delhi Programme Grants DanChurch Aid, New Delhi Project grants Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Technische Zusammenaabeit, Department for International Development (DFID), (GTZ) Gmbh, Germany New Delhi Delegation of the European Commission in India, The Ford Foundation, New Delhi New Delhi Global Green Grants Fund, Boulder, Colorado, USA The Ford Foundation, New Delhi Heinrich Boell Foundation, Lahore, Brussels and Bonn, The John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation, Germany Chicago, USA Indo-German Social Service Society, New Delhi ICICI, Mumbai and USAID, New Delhi The Ministry of Environment and Forests, Rajiv Gandhi Mission for Watershed Management, New Delhi Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh The Rockefeller Foundation, New York, USA Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency. Royal Danish Embassy, New Delhi (SIDA), New Delhi United Nations Development Programme, New Delhi Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), United Nations Childrens’ Fund, New Delhi New Delhi Sir Dorabji Tata Trust, Mumbai Caritas India, New Delhi Global Water Partnership-The Hague Mellemfolkeligt Samvirke, (MS) Denmark

Corpus and endowments received during the year

In 2000-2002, Rs 80 lakh was added to the corpus from CSE’s publication income. This was matched by Sir Ratan Tata Trust from whom we received a grant of Rs 75 lakh. We received another Rs 74.08 lakh from the Ford Foundation.

Annual Report 2000-2002 61 Executive board

CSE’s Executive Board (31.3.2002)

CSE’s governing body consists of leading civil society representatives, industry captains, financial experts and academicians.

DR M S SWAMINATHAN – Chairperson B G VERGHESE – Member M S Swaminathan is one of India's fore- B G Verghese is one of the leading jour- most agricultural scientists and is best nalists in India and has served as the known as the scientific leader of the editor of two leading national dailies of “evergreen revolution movement" in India, the Hindustan Times and the India. His pioneering work in the Indian Express. He is the recipient of field of agricultural science and food Magsaysay award for journalism in security has earned him several awards, both national 1975 and was the information Advisor to the Prime and international, the Padma Shri, the Padma Bhushan, Minister, Indira Gandhi, and a Gandhi Peace the Padma Vibhushan, the Ramon Magsaysay Award, to Foundation Fellow. He has a deep interest in issues of name only a few. He has held several distinguished posi- water management and has written several books on the tions, including Direcor General of the Indian Council of subject. Agricultural Research and of the International Rice Research Institute, and Secretary of the Ministry of ELA BHATT – Member Agriculture and Cooperation. Ela Bhatt is one of India’s foremost social workers and is the founder of the SUNITA NARAIN – Director Self Employed Womens’ Association. Sunita Narain has been with the Centre She is a recipient of several awards, for Science and Environment for the past notable ones being, the Ramon 19 years. In her years at the Centre she Magasaysay Award, the Padma Shree, has worked both to analyse and study the Padma Bhushan and the Right Livelihood Award for the relationship between environment, ‘Changing the Human Environment’. She has served and development and to create public con- still serves as a Member of Parliament, the Planning sciousness about the need for sustainable development. Commission, and others. She has a deep and abiding She serves on the boards of different organisations and on interest in poverty alleviation and gender issues. governmental committees and has spoken at many forums across the world on issues of her concern and WILLIAM BISSELL – Member expertise. William Bissell has been closely associ- ated with the Centre for Science and DR B D DIKSHIT – Treasurer Environment for many years He is the One of the founder members of CSE, Managing Director of FabIndia, a com- Dr B D Dikshit was formerly the pany that has made a signal contribution Chairman and Managing Director of in popularising handlooms, nationally Union Bank of India and Deputy and internationally. He is deeply interested in issues of Managing Director of State Bank of environment and sustainable development. He is the India. He has served with several other Managing Trustee of the Bhadurajun Artisan Trust, which financial institutions both in India and abroad and serves runs schools in Rajasthan to bring quality education to on the Boards of several companies as a nominee of the the artisanal families living in rural areas. Government of India. G N GUPTA – Member VIKRAM LAL – Member Gupta served as the Chairman of Vikram Lal is the former Chairman of the Central Board of Direct Taxes, the Eicher Group, one of India’s India’s highest tax making body, major automotive. He is currently and also as a Director in the Planning associated with the World Wildlife Commission. He currently serves on Fund, the Common Cause, the the Board of several companies and National Council for Applied Economic offers consultancy services on issues related to direct Research and other groups. taxes. As a member of the Indian Revenue Service, he has held several key positions in the revenue department of DR KAMLA CHOWDHRY – Member the Ministry of Finance. Dr Kamla Chowdhry, played a key role in establishing and developing the Dr VIRENDRA KUMAR – Member Indian Institute of Management, Dr Virendra Kumar, former professor Ahmedabad, the Institute of Rural of botany at the Zakir Husain College, Management, Anand, the Society for the New Delhi, is an ardent environmental- Promotion of Wastelands Development ist and possesses considerable expertise and others. She has a deep interest in issues relating to on Himalayan flora and fauna. He has forestry, ecology, environment, women’s issues and sus- served as advisor to the Planning tainable development. Commission on hill areas.

62 Annual Report 2000-2002 Awards

Norman Borlaug Award

Anil Agarwal was presented the Norman Borlaug Award by the President of India, K R Narayanan, at a function on January 5, 2001. The award was given for his contribution in creating awareness regarding environmental issues, both nationally and globally. He has graciously shared the honour conferred upon him with his col- leagues at CSE and with friends in the environment movement in India and across the world.

SCB Distinguished Service Award

The society for conservation of biology dedicated to creation of systems and capacity to communicate information about scientific knowledge and experience to the policy process announced a posthumous award for Anil Agarwal in recognition of his contribution in advancing the conservation agenda. Sunita Narain, CSE Director, attended the award function at the University of Kent in Canterbury in July 2002 and received the award on behalf of Anil Agarwal.

First City Person of the Year 2001

Calling him “the messiah of sustainable development”, the New Delhi-based First City magazine didn’t have to look far to find its person of the year. The eight-page

cover article highlighted Anil Agarwal’s perseverence RESOURCES and determination to promote traditional water harvest- ing initiatives. Agarwal believed water is the fundamental resource on which India’s rural economy is built. The article payed homage to Agarwal’s dedication to community self-reliance that took shape in his campaign for people’s management of resources. The article noted Agarwal’s singular trust in Bharat to solve India’s problems, and his singular efforts to channel popular anger into constructive direction — toward sustainable development.

Obituary

Dr V Ramalingaswami With the passing away of Dr V Ramalingaswami, former Chairperson of the Centre on May 28, 2001, CSE has lost a very dear well-wisher. Dr Ramalingaswami, one of the country’s foremost scientists, was the former director of All India Institute of Medical Sciences and the former director–general of the Indian Council of Medical Research. As one of the founder-members of CSE, his involvement with the Cntre dates back to its inception. He was a member of the Executive Board of the Centre from 1981 to 1986 and again from 1994 to 2000. Dr Ramalingasami steered CSE at a very critical juncture of its history. His association with the Centre lent a tremendous credibility to its programmes. His support to our health and environment programme was particularly significant as CSE was able to access some of the country’s best health experts through his good offices. He invested his role as a chairperson with great commitment and interest. His passing away is a great blow to us and we will deeply miss his presence and support.

Annual Report 2000-2002 63 Executive board

Who’s who at CSE (31.3.2002)

DIRECTOR Pollution Monitoring Books, Documents and Sunita Narain Laboratory Journals N K Satija Kiran Pandey Director’s office Rashmi Mishra K M Sheeja S Sudha Sapna Johnson Susan Chacko Jainamma George Avinash Kumar Kabita Das K V Raghavan D S Thapliyal Santhosh Kumar P CELL FOR SCIENCE AND K Sahasranamam ENVIRONMENT INFORMA- Newspaper and News Anil Kumar TION Magazines Madhumita Paul BOARD & FUNDING State of India’s Environment Gijo Peter Gita Kavarana Chandra Prabha Bharti Kalra Ekta Laskar Nidhi Jamwal Bindulekha E V T T Surendran U Jayanthi Science and Environment PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT Reportage Database AND RECRUITMENT Vikas Khanna Jagdeep Gupta News Anil G Richard Mahapatra Website Rajeev Betne Kazimuddin Ahmed Sucheta Sharma Manisha Shah C Lianchawii Neha Jain Vibha Varshney Rajendra Rawat CELL FOR POLICY RESEARCH Kushal Pal Singh Yadav AND ADVOCACY Nitin Sethi CELL FOR MANAGEMENT Prabhanjan Verma SUPPORT Clean Air Campaign Chander Mohan Anumita Roy Chowdhury Copy Chandrachur Ghose Asha Ramachandran Accounts & Finance Lopamudra Banerjee S S Jeevan Safdar Agha Vivek Chattopadhyaya D M Nair Debashis Chakraborty Ritu Gupta Anupam Verma River Pollution Campaign Mona Sharma Pankaj Kumar Chaudhuri Manoj Nadkarni Tirtho Banerjee Faizan Zaidi Priyanka Chandola Ajith Kumar Samreen Farooqui Aasha Gulrajani Swarup Sales and Despatch Anushka Meenakshi Amita Singhal L Mukunda Pai Harsh Varma K C R Raja Natural Resource Management Tessy Koshy Biju Joseph Eklavya Prasad Ajitha G S J Saravanan Administration and Estate R K Srinivasan Art and Design Management Suresh Babu S V Amit Shankar Vijay Kumar Gupta R V Singh J K Sharma Binayak Das Environment Information M A Jose Ravindra Singh Dissemination Dharm Singh Bains Nayanika Singh Ikhlaque Khan Suresh Kumar Rajiv Kumar Keshar Singh Global Environmental Ashish Giri Governance CELL FOR ENVIRONMENT Anju Sharma EDUCATION AND TRAINING Production and Printing Neelam Singh R Arokia Raj Tanushree Sood Environment Education Santosh Kumar Patel Rustam Vania Shri Krishan Industry and Environment Rhinusmita Kakoty Anand Singh Rawat Chandra Bhushan Kripal Singh Monali Zeya Media Training Surender Singh Anand Srivastava Chitra Gopalakrishnan Angshuman De Bhoopinder Singh Bali Ekta Sharma CELL FOR ENVIRONMENT Environmental Health RESOURCES & PRODUCTS Systems and Pranay Lal Communications Sarita Bahl Audio Visual Arun Kumar Sinha D B Manisha Ashwani Kumar Sinha K S L Srinivasan Sarika Saxena

64 Annual Report 2000-2002 IBC Cover IFC Cover

Mandate

about changes in the behaviour of human societies through CSE Publications appropriate governance systems,

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